Medics blame abortion case for harassment
Jackson Namunya Tali at the High Court when he was sentenced to death for causing the death of a teenage girl through an abortion. FILE PHOTO | PAUL WAWERU |
What you need to know:
- Health workers, civil society groups and lawyers gathered in a Nairobi hotel to register their concerns and tribulations as a result of the judgment.
- Police allegedly taking advantage of the judgment to harass and intimidate health workers.
When Mr Justice Nicholas Ombija sentenced a nurse, Jackson Namunya Tali, to hang for causing the death of a teenage girl through an abortion, little did he know that the decision wold open a Pandora’s box within medical circles.
Health workers, civil society groups and lawyers gathered in a Nairobi hotel to register their concerns and tribulations as a result of the judgment.
Dr Joachim Osur of National Reproductive Health said police have taken advantage of the judgment to harass and intimidate health workers.
“We have received information that police are storming health facilities and demanding bribes of up to Sh50,000 failure to which they threaten the health workers with legal consequences on alleged abortions,” said Dr Osur.
Prof Joseph Karanja of the Kenya Obstetrics and Gynaecologists Society said the decision has caused dilemma, fear and confusion among medical practitioners and which is likely to stop them from attending to some patients for fear of legal action.
According to the doctors, Mr Justice Ombija misinterpreted their call to duty which is to save lives and not to kill.
