Dowa District Nursing Officer, Beatrice Moyo, said this Sunday in Dowa during a Youth Open Day event organized by Family Planning Association of Malawi.

For example, Moyo disclosed that on monthly basis, the district hospital records at least 30 cases of complicated and unsafe abortions among women and girls as young as 13.

“The abortion cases are high in Dowa such that at least 30 cases are recorded on a monthly basis at Dowa District Hospital alone,” Moyo said.

Dowa District FPAM manager, Given Chilimira, said his organization has intensified provision of family planning services through a project called She-Decides aimed at sensitizing women and girls on the evils of unsafe abortion.

“We hope that using this intervention, we will be able to reduce the cases and therefore save lives,” he said.

The scenario is largely being blamed on poverty and desire of pregnant young girls to remain in school, among other factors.