International Planned Parenthood Federation in the Western Hemisphere region (IPPF/WHR) is seemingly taking advantage of the Zika outbreak in the Americas, the hardest hit region by the mosquito-borne virus, to ask for donations to expand access to abortions and birth control.
As of 6 p.m. (ET) on Monday, IPPF/WHR was featuring a picture on its official webpage of a mosquito with the words, “Emergency: Zika virus is Spreading” superimposed over the image and a link to page, titled “Zika Virus: Make Your Emergency Gift,” that asks for preset donations of $50 to $500, with the option of giving any amount.
“In a region where many women have limited or no access to birth control and 6 countries ban abortion under all circumstances, the stakes are high,” states Western Hemisphere branch of the U.K.-based IPPF on its Zika donations webpage. “Advocates and health providers are concerned women might turn to life-threatening back-alley abortion procedures out of desperation to avoid the devastating birth defects associated with the virus.”
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