Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Thursday ordered the suspension of the “State Guidelines on Safe Termination of Pregnancy for Legal Indications” issued by the Directorate of Family Health and Nutrition in the Ministry of Health.

Sanwo-Olu said that the suspension would allow for adequate public sensitization and stakeholder engagement to reach a consensus required for successful guideline development.

According to him, the new guidelines would not be implemented until adequate deliberation.

This was contained in a statement by Prof. Akin Abayomi, the State’s Commissioner for Health, titled, “Retraction on guidelines relating to safe termination of pregnancy for medical reasons in Lagos State’.

The statement read in part, “Among the several factors that contribute to maternal mortality, illegal abortions and high-risk pregnancies leading to unresolvable complications rank high.

“The Lagos State Ministry of Health is seeking different methods to eliminate illegal abortions and ensure that a mother doesn’t die at childbirth, thereby disrupting an entire family unit.

“These guidelines have generated immense public interest, which has necessitated escalating it to Mr Governor.

“To this end, we are suspending the implementation of these guidelines in the meantime for the Executive Council to deliberate on this matter and ensure adequate public sensitization and stakeholder engagement to reach a consensus required for successful guideline development.