DILEMMA FOR HIV POSITIVE WOMEN WHO WANT ABORTION

MBABANE – The country’s legislation is not even lenient to HIV positive women when it comes to abortion.

Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health Focal Person Zandile Masangane, said all pregnant women, even those who are HIV positive have to deal with their pregnancies.
Masangane was responding to questions on whether HIV positive pregnant women were allowed to terminate unwanted pregnancies due to their health.

She said comprehensive SRH services were available for all women including adolescents who want to access them.
“Packages are non- discriminatory, we have services and life skills empowerment,” said Masangane.

She encouraged women to access the services and avoid situations where they will be facing unplanned pregnancies.  NERCHA Director Khanya Mabuza said HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancies were a huge problem facing the country. Mabuza was speaking during the launching of the SRHR-HIV Knows no Borders Project at Pigg’s Peak Hotel and Casino yesterday.

NERCHA is an acronym for National Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS. He said in an interview that most of the HIV positive pregnant women noted that the pregnancy was not planned for.
Mabuza appealed for teamwork between SRH and HIV/AIDS programmes, which could go a long way in addressing the two issues which were becoming a burden for the country.

He said HIV/AIDS among the adolescent girls was a challenge as they were facing emerging cases every day.
This, Mabuza said was a result of older men who were having relationships with the young girls.

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