Medics raise alarm over rising abortion-related deaths in Ankole

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Medical professionals have raised concerns over the increasing number of deaths linked to unsafe abortions in the Ankole sub-region.

Prof. Rogers Kajabwangu, the president of the Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (AOGU) in Uganda, reported worrying trends in abortion-related maternal deaths while addressing journalists in the region.

Prof. Kajabwangu, who is also a senior gynaecologist at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, told journalists that a recent survey conducted in the country found Ankole registering the highest number of complications resulting from unsafe abortions.



He warned that abortion-related complications can have long-term effects, including death, severe haemorrhage, sepsis and permanent damage to internal organs, including removal of the uterus.

Journalists in the region have been urged to intensify public awareness campaigns against unsafe abortion in order to reduce the growing number of complications and fatalities.

He also reported that about 6% of maternal deaths in Uganda result from abortion complications.

The survey data was collected from admitted post-abortion patients in 124 health facilities, including all regional referral hospitals, district hospitals and Health Centre IV facilities.

Complications from abortion are among the leading causes of maternal deaths in Uganda and are ranked fifth.

The survey findings estimated that 130,693 abortions occurred in communities, of which 50,970 cases were admitted as inpatients, while 43,110 were managed as outpatients.

At Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital alone, which serves millions of people from different districts in Ankole and beyond, he said three out of every ten women admitted to the gynaecology ward present abortion-related complications. He called for urgent interventions to address the problem.

Prof. Kajabwangu made the revelations while addressing journalists from districts across the Ankole sub-region who attended a one-day engagement on March 11, 2026, organised by the Health Journalists Network (HEJNU) at Adit Mall in Mbarara city.

Anitam Matsika, the engagement convener, urged journalists to play an advocacy role through their media platforms to encourage women to prevent unwanted pregnancies so that fewer women resort to abortion.

Pleasure Nuwashaba, a midwife at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, described the problem as a serious public health concern that requires urgent attention. She said health workers are working hard to ensure that services are available across health facilities.

Grace Arinda, a community-based mobiliser in Mbarara, advocated for the provision of safe abortion services at health facilities, saying this would help save the lives of many young girls who die while attempting unsafe abortions.

Gaps that need attention

Prof. Kajabwangu highlighted several gaps that require urgent attention. These include a limited understanding of the context of abortion and unsafe abortion in Uganda, minimal focus on prevention of unsafe abortions and related complications, a lack of a stand-alone topic on post-abortion family planning, limited integration of referral hospital services within post-abortion care and missing information on newer surgical management approaches for post-abortion complications.

Interventions underway

Kajabwangu said AOGU is working with the Ministry of Health to increase the uptake of family planning across the country as a way of reducing abortion cases.

He added that discussions are ongoing to develop a policy to regulate the practice.

He also said sensitisation efforts are ongoing to reduce the stigma faced by victims of abortion. “Our position is sensitisation to avoid unsafe abortion and unwanted pregnancies,” he stated.