KARACHI: Expressing concern over rising maternal mortalities and health complications due to unsafe abortions, speakers at the launch of a study on Wednesday called for making reproductive healthcare services safe and accessible across Pakistan that saw 3.8 million abortions in 2023 from 2.25m in 2012 — a 56 per cent increase since 2012.

They were speaking at the launch of the study titled ‘Safeguarding Women’s Health: Trends, Inequities, and Opportunities in Pakistan’s Abortion and Post-Abortion Care Services’, jointly conducted by the Population Council and Guttmacher Institute.

Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Health and Population Welfare Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho said: “It is imperative that health facilities nationwide integrate contraceptive and post-abortion care services. Lack of counselling is a major contributor to unsafe abortions,”.

She highlighted the need to significantly increase the number of community health workers, underscoring how this shortage affects the quality and reach of healthcare.

Dr Pechuho also raised concerns about the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, suggesting that it should better incentivise health and popul­ation welfare improvements by rewarding provinces with strong health indicators through legislative representation.

She further noted that Pakistan’s policies on linking abortion with maternal health need alignment with World Health Organisation guidelines to enhance the quality of care.

“Rising maternal mortality due to unsafe abortions is a pressing issue, and accessible, safe reproductive healthcare must be a priority,” she added.

A presentation on the study’s findings highlighted critical gaps in Pakistan’s reproductive healthcare.

The study estimates that 66 per 1,000 women of reproductive age (15-49) had an induced abortion in 2023.

Of these, 21-30 per cent faced complications, underscoring serious shortfalls in post-abortion care.

According to the study, although the rate of abortion-related complications has declined from 13.9 per 1,000 in 2012 to 11.7 in 2023, disparities remain, with rural and low-income women at greater risk of complications than their urban, wealthier counterparts.

The report is especially timely as Pakistan reports a population growth rate of 2.55pc annually alongside stagnating contraceptive use.

Approximately 17.3pc of women report an unmet need for family planning, leading to high rates of unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions.

‘3.8m abortions annually in Pakistan’

A session on “Unintended Pregnancies and Abortion Care-Evidence from Pakistan” featured a presentation by Dr Zeba Sathar, Country Director Population Council, who shared global insights on unintended pregnancies and emphasized the need for comprehensive reproductive health services in Pakistan.

She reported that 3.8m million abortions occurred last year in the country.

“Empowering women with access to family planning and safe healthcare services is key not only to better health outcomes but also to broader social and economic progress,” she remarked.

The event highlighted barriers to reproductive healthcare in Pakistan and the stigma surrounding abortion. The participants emphasised the importance of education, healthcare reform, and policy advocacy to create a safer, healthier environment for women.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2024