Abortion Clause Deleted From Medical Services Amendment Bill
Source: Abortion Clause Deleted From Medical Services Amendment Bill ⋆ Pindula News Traditional leaders in the Senate have rejected a clause in the Medical Services Amendment Bill that would have made abortion available “on demand”. The Bill had passed through the National Assembly, but the Senate turned it down after traditional leaders said they could […]
Traditional leaders in the Senate have rejected a clause in the Medical Services Amendment Bill that would have made abortion available “on demand”.
The Bill had passed through the National Assembly, but the Senate turned it down after traditional leaders said they could not approve of a practice that runs against customs.
Clause 11 proposed major changes to the country’s abortion laws, including allowing terminations on request up to 20 weeks, letting minors undergo the procedure without parental consent, removing the requirement to notify a spouse, and allowing a single medical practitioner to approve a termination.
The traditional leaders, led by the deputy president of the National Chiefs Council, Fortune Charumbira, strongly opposed the proposal.
Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Sleiman Kwidini said the ministry had not been aware of the clause, claiming it had not been debated in the National Assembly.
With Clause 11 removed, the Bill has been sent back to the National Assembly for consideration of the Senate’s amendments.
Chief Charumbira questioned why Deputy Minister Kwidini’s Second Reading speech made no mention of Clause 11, which had been included in the Bill presented to the Senate.
Midlands traditional leader Chief Ngungumbane supported Charumbira’s stance, saying they backed Clauses 1–10 but opposed Clause 11. He said:
“Clause 11, we would like to find out from the minister whether it was an omission, deliberate or otherwise, because I fear that if we pass these and leave that clause unattended, it will be passed on a technicality.
“If the minister could clarify whether Clause 11 is within the Bill, because from the copies we received, there were amendments made in the National Assembly, adopted and passed, and surprisingly, they came to the Senate.”
In response, Deputy Minister Kwidini said he and his team were just as surprised by the clause.
He explained that during the First Reading in the National Assembly, there was no Clause 11 — the Bill originally had 10 clauses and ended at Clause 10.
After further deliberations, Deputy Minister Kwidini moved to delete Clause 11 from the Bill, a motion that was adopted before it passed through the Senate.
The Bill has now been sent back to the National Assembly, with Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda notifying the House of its return. Said Mudenda:
“I have received the Medical Services Amendment Bill [H.B. 6B, 2024] from the Senate with an amendment.
“Accordingly, in terms of Standing Order Number 119, the Bill shall be recommitted to the committee of the whole House for the purposes of considering the said amendment.”
Among other measures, the Bill proposes that private hospitals must get Government approval before raising service charges and are legally required to admit patients in life-threatening conditions for at least 48 hours, even if they cannot pay upfront.
