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ZIMBABWEAN health professionals are profiting from the under-the-table sale of abortion pills due to low salaries and blocked migration routes.

Abortion in Zimbabwe is illegal and punishable by up to five years in prison. Only registered medical practitioners can perform terminations and only with court authorization.

Health professionals are charging R1,500 (US$85) for terminating a one-month pregnancy, increasing the fee depending on the length of the pregnancy.

A nurse who works at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare said they can make up to R15,000 in their syndicate.

“Most of our clients cannot visit the hospital to request an abortion,” she said.

She said nurses in the country are struggling as they continue to earn salaries pegged in local currency.

“We have no option. Under these circumstances, we are forced to do illegal things to sustain our salaries,” she said.

“Selling abortion pills pays well, and we know it’s illegal but we also have clients relying on us.”

A pharmacist who is also part of a backyard abortion syndicate said that most clients seek their services and cleaning pills as well.

“We don’t only provide them with safe abortion pills, we also give them cleaning pills so that they don’t suffer any complications,” he said.

Angel Chikohora, a 19-year-old student, said that she was forced to abort when she discovered her pregnancy.

“I am in my first year of university. I ended up buying abortion pills from a nurse at Parirenyatwa Hospital. It’s been four months and I have not suffered any complications,” she said.

A representative of nurses at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Allan Nyamupinga, didn’t shed light on the illegal dealings. Still, he mentioned that the economic situation has left many health professionals struggling to make ends meet, with some unable to afford necessities.