Experts Call for Increased Support for Post-Abortion Care in Northern Uganda

Patrick Uma
March 29, 2026

Health experts have called on government and stakeholders to strengthen support for post-abortion care (PAC) services, citing rising cases of unsafe abortions that continue to endanger the lives of women and young girls in Northern Uganda.

Dr. Francis Pebalo-Pebolo, a Senior Gynecologist and lecturer at Gulu University School of Medicine, made the appeal while speaking to journalists during a Health Café organized by the Health Journalists Network Uganda.

He expressed concern that many women and girls resort to unsafe abortion methods, often leading to severe complications.

Continued: https://chimpreports.com/experts-call-for-increased-support-for-post-abortion-care-in-northern-uganda/

29.03.2026

News

Alice Adongpiny

Alimocan Cinderella

Dr. Francis Pebalo-Pebolo

Health Journalists Network Uganda

Filipinas seek abortions online in largely Catholic nation

16 Mar 2026
AFP

MANILA - Jane had been bleeding heavily for days before finally seeking help, not from a hospital but from the man who sold her the pills meant to end her six-week pregnancy.

Abortions are strictly outlawed in the mainly Catholic Philippines, forcing women to turn to a patchwork of providers operating in the online shadows.

Continued; https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/3217783/filipinas-seek-abortions-online-in-largely-catholic-nation

Fragile and conflict-affected settings: post-abortion care generally satisfactory, but communication needs to be improved

Quality of care is not enough without dialogue with women.

19 January 2026

The AMoCo* study continues to highlight persistent challenges related to abortion care and complications in fragile and conflict-affected settings. Conducted in two hospitals in Bangui (Central African Republic) and Jigawa State (Nigeria), it reveals that a significant proportion of patients seeking post-abortion care experienced poor communication with healthcare staff and mixed experiences in terms of respect and dignity. Women with less education and adolescents appear to be particularly vulnerable. This study, which had already revealed that severe post-abortion complications were five to seven times more likely in these two hospitals, demonstrates the importance of listening to women, giving them the opportunity to ask questions, and ensuring their privacy. These elements are essential to ensuring quality care for all women, regardless of their age or level of education.

Continued: https://www.itg.be/en/health-stories/articles/post-abortion-care-fragile-and-conflict-affected-settings

Nigeria – COSWOHI, with AmplifyChange, trains health workers on stigma-free post abortion care

Sade Oguntola
December 18, 2025
With support from Amplify Change, the Committed Soul Women Health Advocacy Africa Initiative (COSWOHI) has trained medical professionals from five local governments in post-abortion care (PAC) and stigma-free care services in an attempt to reduce maternal mortality in Oyo State.

Abidakun Emmanuel, the communication officer for COSWOHI, speaking at the training in Ibadan, said healthcare workers need skills and knowledge to deliver confidential, respectful, non-judgemental and adolescent-sensitive PAC services without stigma.

Continued: https://tribuneonlineng.com/coswohi-with-amplifychange-trains-health-workers-on-stigma-free-post-abortion-care/

18.12.2025

News

Abidakun Emmanuel

Amplify Change

Committed Soul Women Health Advocacy Africa Initiative

The crisis of unsafe abortion in Malawi: When human rights are denied, women and girls die

By Mandipa Machacha and Tsidi Leatswe
8 December 2025

When Tadala Zindawa**, (21) from Tata village in Lilongwe’s Chitukula area, fell pregnant while in secondary school, she was overcome by fear and panic. Scared of her parents’ disapproval and with abortion criminalized in Malawi, Tadala resorted to unsafe methods using Aloe Vera or Surf Soap to induce abortion. The procedure not only failed, but it led to severe pain and heavy bleeding. She survived after post-abortion care, but the psychological and physical scars are lifelong.

Nevertheless, Tadala is one of the lucky ones.

Every year, hundreds of women and girls in Malawi die or are injured from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications. According to the Malawi Ministry of Health and the Guttmacher Institute, about 141,000 abortions occur annually in Malawi, the vast majority unsafe and accounting for 6–18% of maternal deaths.

Continued: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2025/12/the-crisis-of-unsafe-abortion-in-malawi-when-human-rights-are-denied-women-and-girls-die/

ZIMBABWE – Uptake of post-abortion care still low despite Government efforts

November 28, 2025
Tendai Gukutikwa

GOVERNMENT has been applauded for making progress in ensuring that post-abortion care is available at designated health facilities.

However, uptake remains worryingly low, with experts warning that thousands of women continue to suffer complications in silence due to stigma, fear, misinformation and cultural barriers that push them away from lifesaving treatment.

In an interview on the sidelines of a media training, Women’s Action Group programme officer, Ms Vimbai Nyika said the availability of care is an important step in safeguarding women’s health, but misconceptions around abortion and community attitudes are still discouraging women from seeking help.

Continued: https://www.heraldonline.co.zw/uptake-of-post-abortion-care-still-low-despite-government-efforts/

28.11.2025

News

post-abortion care

Termination of Pregnancy Act

It’s women’s rights versus religion in Malawi abortion fight

Privilege Musvanhiri
Nov 6, 2025

Until recently, abortion in Malawi was only permitted when a woman's life was in danger. But, recently, the country's High Court ruled that survivors of sexual violence who end up pregnant are entitled to the procedure.

According to Malawi's Gender Equality Law, every person has the right to adequate sexual and reproductive health and, subject to the law, the right to choose whether or not to have a child.

For more than 15 years, women's rights organizations have lobbied for a Termination of Pregnancy Bill. Although a draft bill exists, it has yet to be tabled in parliament.

Continued: https://www.dw.com/en/its-womens-rights-versus-religion-in-malawi-abortion-fight/a-74576001

Nigeria’s Proposed Abortion Law: A Step Backward in a Public Health Crisis

By Shalom Tewobola
Nov 2, 2025

In a country where an estimated 1.25 million unsafe abortions occur annually, Nigeria’s Senate is considering legislation that would make a dire situation catastrophic. The Criminal Code Amendment Bill 2025, which recently came before the Senate for concurrence, proposes a ten-year jail term for anyone supplying drugs or instruments to procure abortions. This represents more than a threefold increase from the current three-year penalty. But as confusion erupted among lawmakers over the bill’s vague language during Tuesday’s plenary session, a more fundamental question emerged: are we criminalizing healthcare itself?

Senate President Godswill Akpabio suspended consideration of the bill and referred it to the Committee on Judiciary and Legal Matters after senators couldn’t agree on what constitutes an “unlawful abortion.” When lawmakers themselves cannot determine the boundary between criminal acts and medical care, how can doctors be expected to navigate these waters while a patient hemorrhages before them?

Continued: https://culturecustodian.com/nigerias-proposed-abortion-law-a-step-backward-in-a-public-health-crisis/

Behind the curtains: Inside Nigeria’s shadow network of abortion care

October 26, 2025
BY AYOMIDE LADIPO

The World Health Organisation recognises abortion as an essential health service to meet the global sustainable development goals. However, in 74 countries across the world, including Nigeria, abortion is illegal, with varying levels of punishment, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights. Abortion is completely prohibited in 24 countries, while in 50 others, termination of pregnancy is only permitted when the woman’s health is at risk.

In Nigeria, abortion is illegal and carries a jail sentence of up to 14 years, unless done to save the life of the pregnant woman, which means post-abortion care is legal. In the Constitution, the Criminal Code Sections 228-230 and Penal Code Sections 232 & 233 criminalise abortion for all parties involved, including the medical personnel, with a jail time of up to 14 years, while Section 297 of the Criminal Code allows for abortion to be done to preserve the mother’s life.

Continued: https://www.thecable.ng/behind-the-curtains-inside-nigerias-shadow-network-of-abortion-care/

Nigeria – Changing The Narrative: How Lagos Is Reimaging Abortion Care Through Empathy & Evidence

October 17, 2025
CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

In the vibrant, ever-changing city of Lagos, Nigeria, discussions about reproductive health are evolving. For decades, abortion has remained hidden behind silence, stigma, and misinformation, often leaving women feeling isolated, uninformed, and vulnerable. However, a new wave of advocacy, led by the Leadership Initiative for Youth Empowerment (LIFE), is challenging these false stories and pushing for a more compassionate, fact-based approach to abortion care.

This isn’t just about correcting facts; it’s about changing hearts, rebuilding trust, and ensuring that every woman who walks into a clinic is met with dignity, not judgment.

Continued: https://pmexpressng.com/changing-the-narrative-how-lagos-is-reimaging-abortion-care-through-empathy-evidence/

17.10.2025