Investigations by Starr News has uncovered an unapproved facility in the Eastern region being used as an abortion clinic by a fake doctor.
The quack abortion doctor, known as David, has been operating at the facility for several years.
Several young ladies in Suhum and its environs have been patronizing the unprofessional services of the quack abortion doctor due to several reasons including low fee charge, endangering their lives.
Starr News’ Eastern regional Correspondent Kojo Ansah, who has been investigating the operations of the “abortion Doctor” reports that, several young ladies between the ages of 14 and 30 mostly visit the facility to access the fake doctor’s services.
The facility is made up of two small rooms built with mud. Inside the rooms are small size beds, some cooking utensils, rags and other dirty materials. Also found in the room were abortion equipment and tools used by the “Doctor”.
The facility located at a new site in the Suhum municipality, is close to a clinic accredited to perform abortion services and other reproductive healthcare issues.
At least three young ladies visit the facility daily to terminate their pregnancies. The “doctor” is well known by the youth in the Suhum Municipality, hence the high patronage of his services.
The quack doctor is assisted by three other men at the facility.
His clients are admitted for at least four hours in the stuffy and unhygienic rooms after going through the abortion process before they are released to go home.
Antibiotics, Painkillers and Blood tonics are administered to the victims after the abortion.
Some of the victims who suffer complications after the operation are urged to take the drags prescribed for them.
However, according to the fake doctor, “the complications are normal and can happen even when done in approved facilities.”
Cognisant of the illegality of his operations, the “abortion doctor” is mindful of the people he talks to but unsuspectingly opened up to Starr News’ Eastern regional Correspondent Kojo Ansah who disguised himself as a brother to one of his recent clients.
He revealed that he has acquired enough experience over the years having practiced illegally at the facility for several years now. He added that he has not recorded any serious complaint from anyone throughout his practice.
Several attempts to arrest the alleged fake doctor has proved futile as he is always unavailable at his facility anytime the police storms the facility.
The CRIMINAL OFFENCES ACT – 1960 (ACT 29) Section – 58 – Abortion or Miscarriage
(1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (2) of this section-
(a) any woman who with intent to cause abortion or miscarriage administers to herself or consents to be administered to her any poison, drug or other noxious thing or uses any instrument or other means whatsoever; or
(b) Any person who-
(i) Administers to a woman any poison, drug or other noxious thing or uses any instrument or any other means whatsoever with the intent to cause abortion or miscarriage, whether or not that the woman is pregnant or has given her consent;
(ii) induces a woman to cause or consent to causing abortion or miscarriage;
(iii) Aids and abets a woman to cause abortion or miscarriage;
(iv) Attempts to cause abortion or miscarriage; or
(v) supplies or procures any poison, drug, instrument or other thing knowing that it is intended to be used or employed to cause abortion or miscarriage, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.
(2) It is not an offence under subsection (1) of this section if an abortion or a miscarriage is caused in any of the following circumstances by a registered medical practitioner specialising in gynaecology or any other registered medical practitioner in a Government hospital or in a private hospital or clinic registered under the Private Hospitals and Maternity Homes Act, 1958 (No. 9) or in a place approved for the purpose by legislative instrument made by the Secretary:
(a) where the pregnancy is the result of rape, defilement of a female idiot or incest and the abortion or miscarriage is requested by the victim or her next of kin or the person in loco parentis, if she lacks the capacity to make such request;
(b) where the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman or injury to her physical or mental health and such woman consents to it or if she lacks the capacity to give such consent it is given on her behalf by her next of kin or the person in loco parentis; or
(c) where there is substantial risk that if the child were born, it may suffer from, or later develop, a serious physical abnormality or disease.
(3) For purposes of this section “abortion or miscarriage” means the premature expulsion or removal of conception from the uterus or womb before the period of gestation is completed.
