By Ramesh Sujanani
Op-Ed Contributor
It is surprising to see the matter of abortions once again rear its ugly implications in Jamaica.
Three years ago, the issue of abortions came to the forefront, and there was an open and public discussion to hear views on the subject, both pro-life and pro-choice.
I would have thought this issue had been decided and policy implemented by this time.
It is further distressing to note that a group of so-called entrepreneurs are taking advantage of social problems in Jamaica to vend inimical “abortion” pills to an unsuspecting public, often to minors.
An urgent decision from the government involving choice, guidance and policy, and other important aspects of population, needs to be made, so as not to allow this problem to be delayed again.
Years ago, the well-known decision in US courts, Roe v Wade, made by Justices of the Supreme Court, allowed the freedom of choice to women who become pregnant, whatever the circumstances.
In the United States, the political parties are banding the decision around, and ready to please their electorate with the decision to revisit Roe v Wade; this has now become a new political issue, as the Republicans support the Pro-Life position with qualifications, and the Democrats have indicated support for the Pro-Choice position.
Jamaican family life hinges a great deal around the situation of unwed mothers, single parents, absent fathers and teenage pregnancies.
There is the difficulty of paternity support and maintenance, leaving a frustrated mother the option of raising a child or children by support from her own family, especially grandparents, and some other parental figure, say, a stepfather.
In an interview I conducted with Dr R E D Thwaites some time ago, a former head of the National Family Planning Board, he pointed out that Jamaica’s policy to date had been based on the UK model of referrals from doctors for reasons of health. This is true in private practices. In the public system, one clinic, the St Vincent, was once licensed to perform abortions, he said.
This one clinic was inadequate because there were delays waiting for a clinical abortion, he told me, and the approval could take as long as the gestation period.
The Doctor went on to say that with today’s advancement in drugs, a woman does not have to refer the matter to her parents, or consider an abortion, since certain available medication will induce menses in a few days and the knowledge and risk of pregnancy would be eliminated.
“The Government needs a policy to clearly state that this medication may be available at the drug store, over the counter, and allow free access, with guidance,” he said at the time. “Today it is available from a pharmacist only, or not available, and subject to questioning regarding the circumstances of the pregnancy. This reduces the privacy enjoyed by the woman. If the medication choices were properly made available to women, the question of abortion could easily become academic.”
Another fact is that the churches, which are strong and numerous in Jamaica, take the view that life begins with the fertilization of the eggs in the woman’s body.
Dr Thwaites concluded that the onus should be one of choice for the woman (and possibly her partner) to abort in the event of poor birth control, rape, incest, and grave economic and social implications.
“Pregnancy may have been unwanted, accidental, or unplanned, but it is the female that must make the final decision,” he said. “ She could very well be the main breadwinner, and incapacitation would affect family means and income, and reduce opportunities for other siblings.”
The clear polarization between pragmatism and religious teaching is the divide which needs to be reconciled as far as the state is concerned; there should be no contradiction in the laws of any country, when the customs and policies of other countries have not to-date produced a comfortable solution.
This is a family matter, and before we implement a new policy, let us make sure that this is what our families need.
Perhaps the answer lies in the function of the emergency contraception pill. At what point does it work? Is it active after conception or before conception? I do not believe this can be resolved easily, after the fact that conception is not certain before or after the medication is applied.
This is one solution.
Note: the opinions expressed in Caribbean Journal Op-Eds are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Caribbean Journal.