Use of drugs for abortion alarm authorities

CEBU, Philippines - Health authorities in Negros Oriental have been alerted on the reported use of Cytotec drugs to abort unwanted pregnancies, especially on teenagers.

Christy Dagle, of the Integrated Provincial Health Office, who is also HIV/AIDS coordinator of Negros Oriental, was surprised to hear from a barangay official during a Kapihan forum that a woman in that village had a miscarriage by inducement with the use of Cytotec.

Cytotec, usually used to treat stomach ulcers, can induce abortion and pregnant women should not take this without doctor's prescription, Dagle warned, adding that it would be more dangerous to the user who may suffer bleeding and incomplete abortion because the fetus would not come out.

Dagle called on the community to report to the Food and Drugs Administration and pharmacies that are selling Cytotecs without a doctor's prescription.

In a related development, Candau-ay village chief Gregorio Oira has confirmed that, in several instances, the garbage dumpsite in his barangay has became the dumping ground of fetuses, apparently victims of abortion.

Oira said scavengers would report to the barangay, from time to time, about the presence of dead fetus in the dump. He then asked the city government to have a committee that would look into the matter.

Councilor Lilani Ramon, of the local council on women and children, also sought the help of authorities to locate what was reported during the Kapihan the alleged abortionist in sitio Canday-ong of Barangay Calindagan.

Ramon said a barangay official had reported to her that a pregnant woman was able to get an abortion from this alleged abortionist, adding that she would not allow these "hilots" to kill innocent lives.

The councilor, a resident of Calindagan, now wants authorities to verify and validate the information so that proper action can be undertaken against the suspected abortionist.  (FREEMAN)