The Zambia Medical Association, ZMA has observed that the second clause of article 15 in the Bill of Rights will have implications on the medical practitioners especially on issues to do with reproductive health. Clause two of article number 15 in the Bill of Rights states that life begins at conception, meaning no one will be allowed to temper with a pregnancy at conception stage when the bill becomes law.
ZMA Executive Member, Francis Mupeta says the second clause may restrict doctors from performing certain issues of emergency nature in pregnancy where they have to save the life of a woman by way of terminating the pregnancy.
Dr. Mupeta says certain issues of infertility which require in-vitral fertilisation by implanting a fertilised egg in a woman’s womb will also be affected because it will be regarded as murder when other fertilized eggs are destroyed in the process.
Dr. Mupeta says ZMA has maintained that the current law in the constitution which states that a person has a right to life is better than the suggested clause in the Bill of Rights because it protects the life of an unborn child but allows doctors to perform abortions on women with complications.
He emphasised that ZMA is not telling people not to vote in the referendum but providing information on what is contained in the enhanced Bill of Rights.
And a Human Rights Activist, Saboi Imboela observed that some of the clauses in the Bill of Rights are good while others are not, adding that people need enough time to be educated on the contents of the Bill of Rights.
The duo was speaking on the side-lines of a media training on the Referendum and Bill of Rights in Chipata yesterday.