During a panel discussion organized by the Family Planning Association of Malawi (FPAM), Edna Samata, a post-abortion care coordinator at the Nsanje District Health Office, stated that 699 cases of unsafe abortion were recorded from January to December 2022, with 272 young people aged between 10-24 years in the areas of Traditional Authority Malemia and Mlolo. Samata warned that the situation is critical, and even though it is illegal, many young people still attempt unsafe abortions. She urged the youth to seek safe abortions to avoid emergency situations that could lead to the loss of a woman's life. Samata further added that the youth themselves propose that the bill on termination of pregnancy should include issues of incest, rape, malformation conditions, and not just when a woman's life is in danger. Mary Phiri, a Youth Champion, urged responsible duty bearers to heed the youth's calls and include such conditions in the bill, as some young people use unsafe means to abort. Despite these concerns, the Malawi parliament withdrew an abortion bill from debate last year following resistance from Anti-abortion groups, mainly citing religious grounds.
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