Dr Sosthène Dougrou, regional director for Francophone Africa of Ipas, has expressed fears of an increase in unwanted pregnancies in Côte d’Ivoire in view of the drop in usage of sexual and reproductive health services for contraception during the Covid-19 pandemic. He was speaking during a meeting in Abidjan of a group of civil society organisations, whose aim was to create a community partnership to urge the government to implement the Maputo Protocol. He said there has not yet been an in-depth study, but attendance rates at health services have greatly decreased due to difficulties getting there and because the emphasis is on preparing for Covid-19 cases. He called on the state to keep an eye on contraceptive needs and for concrete action to address sexual and reproductive health care, especially for family planning and safe abortion. Each year in Côte d’Ivoire, between 210,000 women and 290,000 women have abortions, of whom many die.
SOURCE: Agence de Presse Africaine, by APA Abidjan, 3 July 2020, in Revue de presse internationale, MFPF, 16 July 2020 (en français)