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Officials from different departments, Non-Governmental Organisations, religious leaders and concerned members of communities took part in a peaceful march on 18 September 2014 in Klerksdorp. The march was aimed at condemning illegal abortion and advocating for family planning and safe abortion services rendered by the public health facilities across the province.

The route of the march was targeting the hotspot areas where there is a robust advertisement of illegal abortion posters especially on the OR Tambo Main Street, drug infested flats in town, Pienaarsdorp and the Klerksdorp taxi ranks before settling at the Municipality gardens where most health services were offered. On the way, marchers removed the illegal abortion pamphlets and posters and replaced them with the departmental messages of “safe abortions and family planning services”.

MEC for Health in the North West province, Dr. Magome Masike expressed his joy over the involvement of the religious leaders in the march.

“We appreciate the participation of the Priests and the Pastors in the March against illegal abortion. The important message we want to send out there is that healthcare problems in the community are societal problems and the involvement of religious leaders is critical because they are well placed to infiltrate communities with healthcare messages. So their participation was very important for us so that we carry the message across the society in general,” said MEC Masike.

The MEC also indicated that the department is in the process of imparting healthcare knowledge to Church Leaders so they can be able to identify early signs of healthcare problems like Tuberculosis and Malnutrition within their congregations and refer members to healthcare facilities.

“For example, when the child is baptized, it is critical for the priest to know whether the child is over or under weight and whether the child has been fully immunised,” said the MEC.

Among the church leaders who accompanied the MEC during the march was Bishop Stephen Diseko of the Anglican Diocese of Matlosana who said: “We are also spreading the message in church that illegal abortion must be condemned”.

Speaking to the masses during the march in Klerksdorp, MEC Dr. Magome Masike urged members of the community to refrain from using backstreet abortion “clinics” and use safe and free services found at most public health facilities across the province.

“The main problem faced by the department is that women using these backstreet services often flock back to the health facilities with serious complications and they do die on our hands. It is more costly to manage complications than to undertake a safe termination of pregnancy in the absence of risks. This illegal practice has left many children as orphans and child headed families,” said MEC Masike.

Currently there are 50 health facilities designated to offer safe abortion services across the North West province as according to the CTOP act 92 of 1996 as amended in 2014. In Dr. Kenneth Kaunda District alone, there are four designated fully operational health facilities namely, Klerksdorp/Tshepong Hospital Complex, Nic-Bodenstein Hospital in Wolmaranstad, Potchefstroom Hospital and J.B Marks Community Health Centre (CHC) in Ventersdorp. On top of these public facilities the District also has two private CTOP facilities namely, Wilmed Park Clinic and Matlosana Women’s Clinic.

In his interaction with members of the community at Klerksdorp Main Taxi Rank, MEC Masike encouraged young and elderly women to use dual protection i.e. contraceptives and condoms for prevention of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.

“We are also providing emergency contraception within 72 hours of unprotected sex and have further expanded our method mix to include sub dermal implants which will last a person for three (3) years,” said Masike.

Ahmed Mahaj, a Spaza shop owner in Klerksdorp said he is grateful that the government is doing something about the growing number of these fake doctors in his area.

“I have been staying here in Klerksdorp since 2010 and what I have seen is disgusting. Their adverts are everywhere, and it’s unfortunate that school girls are the ones who are falling victims of these unlawful acts. Please continue to help them, I will also make sure that they don’t put their advertisements and posters in my Spaza shop,” said Ahmed.

Issued by: North West Health