Muslim women feel comfortable getting abortion service

  • With abortion made legal, Muslim women take a step forward

Sunsari, April 24

According to Family Health Centre Itahari’s senior consultant Durga Sharma, Muslim couples, who used to hesitate to use contraceptives, have started going for abortion if it becomes necessay.

“Male partners of well-educated and elite class come to the health facility bringing along their spouses for abortion,” said Sharma. Muslim women have started feeling comfortable after abortion was made legal.

According to data with the health facility in Itahari, as many as 120 women came to the health facility for abortion in January, 111 in February and 103 in March respectively this year.

A considerable number of women from the Muslim community also are included in the list, according to Sharma. However, she could not say the exact number of the Muslim women who resorted to abortion.

There are as many as 15 abortion centres authorised by the government of Nepal in Sunsari, according to District Public Health Office Sunsari Chief Mukunda Gautam.

District Hospital Sunsari, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences Dharan, Mary Stops in Itahari and Dharan, among other places of the district provide abortion service.