GASABO - Izere Health Centre in Kibaza Cell, Kacyiru sector, Gasabo District, was yesterday closed by the Ministry of Health officials and Police after the owner, illegally, helped an 18 year-old girl carry out an abortion.

The owner of the health centre, Phoebe Nyiranzamwitakuze, on Thursday night allegedly, performed an illegal abortion on the girl who was seven months pregnant and threw the foetus in a pit latrine.

Speaking to The New Times, Jean de Dieu Ngirabega, the Director General of Clinical Services at the Ministry of Health, said that the health centre was closed for carrying out an abortion against the law.

"The proprietor of the health centre did a grave act after being paid Rwf 30,000. Nobody or clinic has the moral authority to carry out an illegal abortion,” he added.

"Abortion is harmful to the life of the person aborting and the unborn baby and sometimes leads to death,” he said.

After carrying out the abortion, Nyiranzamwitakuze took the girl to the nearby Police hospital and ltold the doctors on duty that the girl fell down and had a miscarriage.

According to the hospital director, ACP Daniel Nyamwasa, the tests carried out proved otherwise.

"After lying to the doctors, she fled; the doctors carried out their tests on the girl and asked her if she really had a miscarriage. She told them that she paid Rwf 30,000 to Nyiranzamwitakuze to help her abort,” he said.

Nyamwasa said that the police are looking for Nyiranzamwitakuze to press charges, adding that investigations are ongoing to find out the motive behind the abortion.

He said that the victim was brought to the police hospital because she had lost too much blood adding that the fugitive feared that her patient could die.

"The girl is now in good condition after receiving treatment,” he noted.

Nyiranzamwitakuze could face at least five years in jail if found guilty.

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