Rutendo Nyeve, [email protected]
THE Government is taking decisive, practical steps to ensure that women and adolescents who are legally entitled to a termination of pregnancy can access these critical health services safely and without undue barriers, the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, has said.
Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, Dr Mombeshora revealed that the Ministry is implementing a multi-pronged strategy involving strengthened guidelines, decentralisation of services, public awareness campaigns, and strategic partnerships.
This follows the deletion of Clause 11 of the Medical Services Amendment Bill during the legislative process, a clause that had been intended to streamline access and reduce bureaucratic hurdles.
Dr Mombeshora outlined the Government’s position, anchoring it in the Constitution.
“The overall position is that Section 76 of the Zimbabwe Constitution (2023), guarantees the right to access basic health care,” he said.
“The Government’s position on lawful termination of pregnancy, that is TOP, is that within the framework of the existing Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1977, women and adolescents who meet the legal requirements must be able to access necessary health services and information while regulatory and procedural improvements are pursued to eliminate unnecessary administrative barriers.”
Acknowledging the barriers that persist under the current law, which permits abortion only in cases of rape, incest, or where the life of the mother is at risk, Dr Mombeshora detailed the Ministry’s plan of action.
He said although Clause 11 was misplaced and subsequently removed, the Ministry’s commitment to addressing these barriers remains firm.
“One, strengthening clinical guidelines and protocols. We are revising national clinical guidelines to ensure that health workers at district and provincial hospitals are fully aware of the legal grounds for termination of pregnancy. Training is being rolled out to improve provider capacity to manage lawful cases without unnecessary referrals or delays,” he said.
To further reduce obstacles, the Ministry is decentralising services.
“The Ministry is decentralising post-abortion care and lawful termination services to more facilities so that women do not have to travel long distances to central hospitals. We are working with partners to equip facilities with the necessary skills and resources to provide safe and timely care,” the Minister added.
Dr Mombeshora also highlighted the critical gap in knowledge.
“Many women are unaware of their rights under the current law. The Ministry, in collaboration
with civil society and community health workers, is conducting awareness campaigns to inform women and families about the circumstances under which termination of pregnancy is lawful.”
He underscored the importance of collaborative efforts.
“We continue to engage with development partners including UNFPA and Population Services
Zimbabwe to strengthen service delivery and ensure that survivors of sexual violence in particular can access lawful services without stigma or delay,” he said.
A key component of the Ministry’s long-term strategy is the development of clear operational regulations to give full effect to the 1977 Act.
“The Ministry is currently leading the drafting of regulations. Key areas of focus include clarifying the medical criteria for threat to life and serious fetal malformation, standardising the approval process and timelines for health institutions… and safeguarding the privacy and informed consent rights of those who qualify,” he said.
Turning to the unique challenges faced by young people, Dr Mombeshora reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to their health and rights.
“The Minister of Health and Child Care recognises that adolescents and young people face particular challenges in accessing sexual and reproductive health services, including limited access information, social stigma and concerns about confidentiality,” he said.
He said the high adolescent pregnancy rate is a driver of this need.
“Zimbabwe has a high adolescent pregnancy rate of approximately 24 percent among girls aged 10 to 19, a significant proportion of which involves sexual violence,” he said.
In response, the Ministry is expanding information accessibility, ensuring the legal conditions for termination are part of national guidelines on managing sexual and gender-based violence.
It is also strengthening referral mechanisms and confidentiality safeguards for adolescent patients.
“In summary, although Clause 11 was removed, the Ministry is taking practical steps through guidelines, decentralisation, awareness and partnerships to ensure that women entitled to lawful termination of pregnancy can access these services safely and without undue barriers,” Dr Mombeshora said.
He affirmed that the Ministry is working with the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Home Affairs to create a more modern legislative framework.
“As a Ministry, we are now trying to align all our legislation and also reviewing all those which we think are archaic and realigning them with the current legislation… so that we come up with a more modern legislation, which addresses the issues of women who want to access lawful termination of pregnancy,” he said.
