Kenya’s Medical Practitioners Board banned Marie Stopes, an international health organization, from offering all forms of abortion care in all its facilities within Kenya. Further, the Board requires Marie Stopes to file a weekly report on all services rendered in their facilities for 60 days. The decision to ban abortion came after the Medical Practitioners Board investigated complaints about Marie Stope’s advertisements promoting abortion.
CitizenGo Africa, a pro-life campaign group, and the Kenya Film Classification Board were among the groups that filed complaints. Ezekiel Mutua, the chief executive officer at the Kenya Film Classification Board, accused Marie Stopes of promoting abortion, saying that the organization’s advertisements were “making it look cool to have an abortion.”
Kenya’s Marie Stopes branch has been offering reproductive services since 1985. There are currently 22 clinics and 15 mobile outreach clinics in Kenya. The organization argues that they are operating within the Kenyan constitution and offer counseling services, including post-abortion care “with the aim of saving the woman and promoting positive health outcomes.”
Abortion is illegal in Kenya unless a mother’s health is in danger. Banning Marie Stopes’ abortion services could potentially endanger the lives of many women. Many Kenyans fear that the ban will lead to an increase of unsafe back-street abortions.
Newswire Sources: BBC 11/18/18
