If the new law
regulating medical services is passed, it will mean that a person 15 years old
and above will be able to go to a doctor and receive family planning or related
services without being accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Minister of
Health Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana stated that although the current law provides that
the decision-makers regarding access to reproductive health services are adults
[i.e. 18 years of age], it excludes adolescents and young adults from services
and information on health. reproduction which is the cause of the increase in
unplanned pregnancies.
He announced this
on November 5, 2024, when he presented to the Parliament, the Chamber of
Deputies, the bill regulating medical services, asking for its approval.
This law includes
a provision that provides that a person from the age of 15 can make a decision
to receive information and services about reproductive health. The definition
states that "age of adulthood" in this law refers to 15 years of age.
Minister Dr.
Nsanzimana said, "The law states that everyone has the right to receive
education and medical procedures related to human reproductive services and
that no one should be deprived of that right because of any
discrimination."
Dr. Nsanzimana
explained that the current law prevents adolescents from making decisions about
their health and reproduction "because the age of majority in Rwanda is 18
years as stipulated in Article 104 of the Law people and society.”
“However, the law
does not address how adolescents can access reproductive health information and
services and the law ensures that everyone has a right to reproductive health
information and services. Therefore, the fact that teenagers and young adults do
not have access to information about reproductive health and services leads to
the problem of unplanned pregnancies. Therefore, this project has reduced the
age of consent to access health services.
Deputy Uwamariya
Veneranda pointed out that there should be research that shows that the reason
for the increase in unplanned pregnancies among teenagers is that they are not
provided with services related to reproductive health.
He said, "I
want to ask if there has been any research that has been done to show that the
reason why unplanned pregnancies are increasing is due to the lack of
information about reproductive health."
Dr. Nsanzimana
explained that in the last 12 months, hospitals around the country received
about 8,000 pregnant girls under the age of 18 who went for pregnancy tests.
He said,
"They come to the clinic and we monitor them like other pregnant women,
but what worries us is that 70% of them, especially those under the age of 20,
are the most affected by maternal and child deaths. This means that 70% of the
deaths of mothers and children in the country are among those under the age of
majority.
He explained that
a lot of it has to do with the condition of the body and the fact that the
person has not yet reached the age of conception, the body is not well
prepared, and others who have tried to have an abortion would have failed.
Dr. Nsanzimana
also said that 70% of the deaths of children under the age of five are among
those born to girls who have not reached the age of majority, while 35% of the
children who are pregnant are also born to teenagers who have not reached the
age of maturity.
He emphasized
that "it is related to obesity, it is related to the deaths of mothers and
children, then we see that even in the last five years we have analyzed the
numbers, they have never changed to decrease and other methods have been used
that people have put effort into."
The 6th survey on
health and welfare of the population shows that there are women aged 15-19 who
have had abortions, pregnant women and mothers with children in their care.
The majority of
these children are from rural areas, while the majority have only primary and
secondary education.
This study shows
that 4.5% of girls have had sex before the age of 15, while 10.1% of boys have
had sex before the age of 15. These include those who have children before the
age of 15. .
Minister Dr.
Unhappy Jean Nepo Abdallah once told IGIHE: "When we tell people to take
contraceptive pills, it is not a 15-year-old child who is forced to change to
go get it. If he has the morals not to go to those drugs of adultery, why would
he take those drugs?"
"But give
the child the opportunity to say that if there is a cheater or even his playing
partner, he will have the opportunity to say that let me take these things, I'm
like in the market somewhere at the kiosk and take it with me to come and get pregnant."
63 MPs voted for
the basis of the bill, there were no objections, there was only one vote while
there were two votes, the bill will be reviewed by the commission responsible
for it.
