Kenya orders abortion group to ‘immediately cease’ all abortions

The Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board (KMPDB) has ordered Marie Stopes, one of the world’s largest abortion chains, to stop committing abortions. The ban followed public complaints about Marie Stopes’ advertising promoting abortion for unwanted pregnancies. Abortion in Kenya is legal only when the mother’s life or health is at risk.

Daily Nation reports that the order from the board states, “Marie Stopes Kenya is hereby directed to immediately cease and desist offering any form of abortion services in all its facilities within the republic.” The ads that prompted public complaint ran on the radio and social media highlighting the “confidential” services Marie Stopes offers for women experiencing unplanned pregnancies.

READ: Marie Stopes International gives young African girls long-term birth control without parental consent

As part of the board’s ban imposed on the abortion chain effective November 14th, Marie Stopes is required to submit a weekly report of all services provided at their facilities for 60 days.

Representatives for Marie Stopes claim their ads did not promote abortion. However, Marie Stopes’ marketing director, Christopher Wainaina, admitted to Reuters that the ads do discuss “the legal status of abortion in Kenya, the stigma of abortion that exists and how it is leading to high numbers of women becoming victims of botched backstreet abortions and dying as a result.”

The abortion industry claims that because of the ban, more women will seek elective abortions at these “unsafe” facilities or from “quack doctors.” But this is an ironic claim, coming from Marie Stopes; two years ago, Marie Stopes in the United Kingdom faced public outcry and suspension of all surgical abortions following shocking reports. Writing for Live Action, Cassy Fiano-Chesser noted that in the reports:

Marie Stopes abortion facilities were found to be attempting to coerce women into abortions, throwing the bodies of aborted babies into open trash cans, and not following proper sterilization and infection control protocols.

Marie Stopes is, of course, not the only abortion business found to be in violation of basic health and safety standards. Abortion ends the life of a preborn baby and poses risks to the mother. And the long history of abuses in the abortion industry shows that it is a mistake to think that merely making abortion legal will make it “safe” for women.