Group Urges Lagos Government to Restore Safe Pregnancy Termination Guideline
Mirian Gom 
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) has called on the Lagos State Government to restore its suspended guideline on the safe termination of pregnancy, warning that continued policy uncertainty could worsen preventable maternal deaths linked to unsafe abortions.
The appeal was made during a memorial and advocacy dialogue held in Lagos on Monday in collaboration with the Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Nigeria (SOGON) and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos Chapter.
WARDC Executive Director, Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, said the event honoured women and girls who lost their lives due to unsafe abortion practices, describing many of the deaths as avoidable through improved healthcare policies and access to quality medical services.
She argued that Lagos had previously demonstrated leadership by developing a guideline aimed at helping healthcare professionals manage cases requiring safe termination of pregnancy, particularly where the life or health of the mother was at risk.
According to Akiyode-Afolabi, the guideline was designed by medical experts to provide clear clinical direction, improve patient safety and reduce maternal mortality.
She, however, expressed concern that the suspension of the framework had left many women without access to safe, regulated medical care.
“Today, that guideline has been suspended, and we cannot continue to lose women to preventable causes,” she said.
The women’s rights advocate warned that the absence of a clear policy framework often pushes vulnerable women toward unqualified practitioners and unsafe procedures, increasing the risk of severe complications and death.
She urged the Lagos State Government to prioritise evidence-based healthcare policies, strengthen reproductive health services and work closely with medical professionals to improve maternal health outcomes across the state.
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