Private medical practitioners in Nakuru County have decried the high number of cases of unsafe abortion among youths and young women.
The network under the chairmanship Samuel Kagwi said the trend is caused due to lack of information on reproductive health.
Kagwi said to curb unsafe abortion, the practitioners will train over 100 university, college and high school youths on dangers of unsafe abortion and early marriages.
“Abortion causes health complications among women, a practice that should be stopped through information on reproductive health,” said Kagwa.
He pointed that, according to a 2013 medical report conducted by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) and the Ministry of Health on unsafe abortion, an estimated 465,000 induced abortions took place in Kenya in 2012 a number that might increase is a stern action is not taken by medical stakeholders.
The initiative will also help in delivery of safe services, within the confines of the law and in accordance with the constitution, he added.
The chairman added that though the Constitution permits access to safe abortion, Kenyan women still resort to unsafe methods of termination where thousands are dying as a consequence.
“Youths have been left to source information about reproductive health on themselves and this has remained risky. We are treating numerous cases of aftermath complication due to unsafe abortion where majority of victims end up dying due to delay in seeking medical intervention,” said Kagwi.
Rose Akinyi, a private medical practitioner echoed his sentiments, pointing out that many youths and women are not aware about reproductive health leading them to unsafe abortion.
“We want these youths to go out and work with the community preaching about safe abortion to save young ones from dying due to complications,” said Akinyi.
She also pointed that, their campaign should not be perceived as one supporting abortion but one aimed at saving hundreds of women from dying.
“We are trying to sensitize the youths to access improved access to comprehensive abortion care, including counseling and effective contraceptive access and use as it will save women’s lives.