The Zambian government has ordered an American organization to stop conducting abortions because of some alleged illegalities detected in the services of the organization, the Zambia Daily Mail reported on Thursday.

Marie Stopes International said in its report given to authorities that between January and May 2012, it conducted 490 abortions in three districts of northern Zambia which is against Zambian laws. Abortion is illegal in Zambia and can only be done under recommendation from three medical doctors.

The release of the report forced authorities in northern Zambia to order the organization to stop operating in the province.

Minister of Health Joseph Kasonde said a meeting with senior officials from the organization established that the organization has been conducting illegal abortions because some of them were being done under the authority of one medical doctor.

He however said the organization will continue operating in the country and provide other medical services other than abortion services.

According to him, a team of senior medical officials will be sent to the northern region to ensure that appropriate procedures are followed.

The Abortion Act of 1972 stipulates that abortion in Zambia is legal under certain circumstances, such as risk of injury to the physical or mental health of women and risk of injury to the physical or mental health of any existing children of the woman.

The American organization has over the past four years provided comprehensive reproductive health services, among them family planning methods, cervical cancer screening and screening and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.