2019-09-01 Cosmopolitan South Africa

views of others who consider
abortion to be “wrong”,’ says
Lopez Gonzalez. She recalls the
story of a healthcare worker who
was nicknamed ‘Lucifer’ by her
medical colleagues, because she

washappyto assistwomenwith

TOPsat thegovernmenthospital

sheworkedat.LopezGonzalez

alsoheardof a healthcarefacility

managerwhochangedthelocks

duringthenightsothatthenurses

whodidTOPs couldn’t open for

patientsthenext day to offer

care.It’sillegal and unethical,

andit showshow far South

Africastillhas to go in destroying

thestigma.

Healthcare providers can – in
non-emergency cases – refuse to
perform a TOP, according to the
Constitution, which allows the
right to freedom of conscience,
religion, thought, belief and
opinion. But this cannot prevent
you from receiving the care you
have a right to. ‘If you choose, as
a healthcare provider, not to offer
termination of pregnancy, then

you have to be able to

guarantee that your patient

is referred to somebody else

and will be able to access the

procedure,’ says Lopez Gonzalez.

If you’ve been denied access

to an abortion, you can

report it to the Women’s Legal

Centre,’ she adds. ‘They can

help you troubleshoot the

situation further.’

CAN YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER

REFUSE YOU AN ABORTION?

They likely won’t advertise

their physical address.

They prefer to chat via social

media or WhatsApp.

They will want you to pay in cash upfront.

They might want to post you tablets

without conducting an examination or

knowing your medical history.

They will likely offer abortions

above 20 weeks.

Murray warns that illegal providers may

nothave trained staff, clean and safe

equipment and facilities, or a proper

understanding of the correct procedures

andmedication. Illegal providers are

illegal for a reason: you don’t want to

end up admitted to hospital with

complications that could endanger

your health.

HOW TO

SPOT AN

ILLEGAL

PROVIDER

TAKE

ACTION

SIGN OUR SAFE

ABORTION PETITION

COSMO is calling on the

Department of Health to

formalise abortion guidelines.

Find out more by

scanning the

QR code.

MarieStopes

Mariestopes.org.za;

0800117785

Women’sLegal

Centre

Wlce.co.za;

0214245660

BlackWomxn

HealingGarden

Facebook.com/

blackwomxnhealing

Lifeline

Lifelinesa.co.za;

0861322322

S O M E O N E

T A L K T O

57

COSMOPOLITAN.CO.ZA | SEPTEMBER 2019

REPORT

SCAN IT

SIGN IT