Make abortion legal

After me read The Sunday Gleaner weh report pon the amount a botched abortion weh a gwaan inna Jamaica, me jus waaah cuss. When it comes to female reproductive health, it is very important that all the necessary precautions are taken, and all protocol must be observed.

It cannot be that women's lives are being put at risk so wantonly just because they have decided to not bring the pregnancy to term. Many may ask if a woman should have an abortion in the first place, and some may even condemn a woman who decides to do so. It is, however, important that we understand that we can't always judge people and the choices they make because we do not know the options from which they had to choose.

For some women, it's not just to dash weh di belly. Some are victims of rape or may find themselves in a position where it is either her life or that of the fetus.

The current state of the law with regard to abortions being illegal in Jamaica may be putting women at risk. Trained and certified doctors don't want to conduct these abortions and put their licence at risk, and so some women will opt to go to a 'botch shop' to have the procedure done.

Our lawmakers must engage in progressive legislation which takes the reality of present day into consideration.

In addition to amending the laws, there needs to be a more robust social marketing campaign on family planning and taking precautionary measures when having sex. As a nation, we need to be more proactive than reactive. In the '70s and '80s, the 'Two is better than too many' campaign did a run di place so til, although me a '80s baby, mi come hear bout it.

NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION

Mi no see our airwaves being inundated with information and visuals about family planning!

Places like China and Japan no inna no joking ting when it comes to population control, because they understand the dire consequences that can arise if everybody just leggo!

Jamaica needs well-funded campaigns that encourage males and females to take family planning seriously. There is more to life than having one bag a pickney wah yuh cyaa mine an tek care of!

Too often, we are seeing that when people's backs are against the wall, then is abortion yuh run to. Abortion anno contraceptive! It is a risk and there are many complications associated with it - some that are irreversible.