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Niger has ordered the closure of two centers run by the British charity Marie Stopes International, accused of illegally performing abortions, said Tuesday the AFP health minister.
"We decided to close this charity under a 2006 law banning abortion," said Health Minister Idi Illibadou.
"Our investigations showed that this non-governmental organization allowed abortion", but the partnership agreement with Niger "does not allow it," he said.
The charity, present in 37 countries and working in Niger since 2014, offers contraceptive services and advice on managing unplanned pregnancies, including safe abortion services, according to its website.
"The termination of pregnancy should in no way be considered as a method of contraception," reads in the closing order for the two centers managed by Marie Stopes in Niamey, the capital, and to Maradi, economic center of the country.
Niger allows abortion only in cases where the pregnancy endangers the mother's life.
The charity was not immediately available for an answer on the matter.
According to Illibadou, a British charity terminated a pregnancy through a method of "manual aspiration for an additional $ 52", claiming that the government would take legal action against those involved.
A Ministry of Health source told AFP that the police were currently looking for "Nigerian accomplices" from the organization who had fled.
According to the badociation's website, the organization began its badessment visits in 2013 "at the request of the Nigerian Ministry of Health" and began providing contraceptive services a year later. later. Its first center opened in Niamey in 2016.
According to figures for Marie Stopes' work in Niger, 12,472 unwanted pregnancies were averted in 2017 and 4,748 unsafe abortions were avoided.
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