1.5m abortions occur annualy

JAKARTA (JP): About 1.5 million abortions are conducted in Indonesia annually of which at least a fifth are done by nonmedical personnel.

While there is no definite account on the number, the chairman of the Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association (PKBI), Azrul Azwar, cited World Health Organization data which predicts that 1.5 million abortions occur here each year.

Speaking in Palu, Central Sulawesi, yesterday Azrul noted with some concern that a significant portion of the abortions were conducted by those without formal medical training.

As reported by Antara, the association estimates that between 24 percent to 57 percent of abortions in urban areas are done by doctors. About 29 percent to 25 percent by nurses, 19 percent to 25 percent by midwives and 18 percent to 24 percent by untrained personnel or individuals conducting their own abortions.

In rural areas the estimate differs, with doctors only conducting 13 percent to 26 percent, nurses 18 percent to 26 percent, midwives 21 percent to 47 percent, while individuals or nontrained personnel reached between 17 percent to 23 percent.

No breakdown on the numbers or ratio between abortions done for medical or nonmedical reasons were given.

Abortions are illegal in Indonesia unless it is done for medical reasons.

The nation was shocked earlier this year when several fetuses were found discarded in a waste dump.

Several people were indicted for running two clinics offering illegal abortions at the Amalia and Herlina clinics in Tanah Tinggi, Central Jakarta.

In addition to the owners of the clinics and their assistants, an obstetrician, identified as Budiman, is also being tried in the case. Another obstetrician, Jaya Lelana, who is a military doctor, is being detained at the military police headquarters on the same charges.