BY MANUEL ODENY

Gender activists have called on end of restrictions and stigma on access of abortion in Kenya after a high school student in Migori county died while trying to terminate her five months old pregnancy.

Lavender Ochineg’, a student at Ulanda Girls Secondary succumbed to death at Mariwa Dispensary in Awendo sub-county after failed attempt to terminate her pregnancy.

On Wednesday, Ochieng’ was buried in their home in Uradi village, Awendo sub-county in an emotional funeral where activists pointed to stigma and lack of access to information on Sexual Reproductive Health Rights as main cause of deaths.

“We were shocked as a family when we were told our daughter was in hospital where she was taken after she failed to terminate her pregnancy,” Charles Odinga, an uncle said.

He said the girl, a student at Ulanda Girls’ Secondary a local school was only 16 years old.

“We reported the matter to police who are investigating her death which was tried to be saved at the dispensary and we are still reeling in shock over the loss,” he said.

Mercy Vivian, the deceased sister and friend said fear of dropping out of school and stigma caused the deceased to take the fateful route.

“We know of mothers who have gone to school after birth or access to legal and safe care rights, but because of poverty and lack of information or living in a rural set up we feel disadvantaged,” she said.

Ruth Mumbi, the Director of Women Collective Kenya said Ochieng’ was not just another statistic, but a grim reminder of why access to abortion should not be a taboo topic anymore in Kenya.

“For the record abortion in Kenya is not illegal and constitutionally we are gurantee the highest standard of sexual and reproductive rights, but in reality access to pregnancy termination is restricted,” Mumbi said.

She said no woman or girl in the country should lose her life when seeking abortion.

“The restriction and stigma abortion has created a lot of misinformation driving illegal abortion which end us causing deaths,” she said.

Mercy Ingasi, a gender activists said it was unfortunate that when the issue of abortion is raised it is seen as a foreign agenda.

“We need ask the government to include comprehensive sexual education in education system and this is not a criminal offense, adolescents are looking for alternative information which is dangerous,’ she said.

The two said negative perception on abortion and access to health services in Kenya has caused death and complication on women as stated in a recent government report.

The Ministry of Health has released the ‘incidence of induced abortions and the severity of abortion related complications on Kenya,” which paints a grim picture on complications and unintended pregnancies.

In Kenya, abortion is largely legally restricted “as a result many women who face unintended pregnancies are unable to access safe abortion methods and procedures,” the report added.

The report collected data in 2023 for the first national abortion study in country done by the ministry of health,  African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) and Guttmacher Institute.

The data sought to estimate the incidences of induced abortions, severity of post- abortion care and ability of hospitals to provide these cares.

In 2023 Kenya recorded 2,850,346 pregnancies of which of which 1,435,988 were unintended and 792,694, which stands at 27.8 per cent of the total number, ended in induced abortions.

“This report shows clearly that despite the negative perception we have against abortion and stigma around it is still happening in our society and we should avoid burying our heads in the sand like the proverbial ostrich,” Lillian Maina, project officer at Women Collective Kenya said.

 “We need to stop our women from procuring illegal and unsafe abortions, have access to contraceptives to plan their births to avoid reported cases of death, coma and severe complications,” Maina said.

She said some unintended pregnancies can be caused by rape, incest or lack of access to contraceptives.

“We have cases where is a child is born out of incest the kid should be killed or the mother chased out of family, these are cases that abortion became and alternative,” she added.

The report started that Post Abortion Care (PAC) caseload and treatment rates national stood at 304,159 of which Nyanza & Western region led 79,655 cases followed by Nairobi & Central at 69,695 cases.

The report said that among all women who received post-abortion care in Kenya 1.4 per cent had extreme cases of death and coma and 16.4 per cent had life threatening complications.

Of those who used abortion 42 per cent refused to used contraceptive for fear of side effects, which pointed out to problem of ending unintended pregnancies.

The report also states that only 24 per cent of referral hospitals could offer Post Abortion Care while 18 per cent of other health facilities can offer the same.

“These figures paint a grim picture for use in Nyanza and western region that is why we are targeting women aged between 15.49 years to access sexual, health rights,” Susan Agunda the Migori deputy county reproductive health officer said.

Agunda said provision of quality health care is a right for all Kenyans and any complications due to illegal abortions should be treated.

She said because of stigma most women choose quacks and illegal clinics to procure abortions.