A Germany-based Gambian has disclosed that Caesarean section (C-section) is now a huge business in The Gambia. Many private clinics are allegedly making money off pregnant women and forcing them towards surgical deliveries.

Ibrahim Barrow told What's On-Gambia: "The private clinics are now popular for duping pregnant women to undergo C-sections because it brings them more money.

"I have three family members who were pressured into it. Their health or their babies’ health were not in danger. It is really very unfortunate."

A C-section is the use of surgery to deliver babies. During a C-section delivery, a doctor makes an incision in the mother’s abdomen and uterus through which the baby is pulled.

What's On-Gambiafound that in many cases, private clinics are paid thousands more for performing the lucrative procedure over a vaginal delivery.

The procedure, clinic stay and anaesthesia can range from about D10,000 to D30,000, while a natural delivery is less than D8,000.

Although there are no national figures on the number of C-sections performed in The Gambia, a UK-based Gambian health entrepreneur claimed it has significantly increased over the past few years.

"Some of the private clinics don't allow women enough time to labour," she said.