Source: AWOKO
Women from different organizations in the country have gathered in Freetown to discuss unplanned pregnancies and unsafe abortions in Sierra Leone.
The two-day workshop held at YWCA is organized by Ipas in collaboration with WAADO.
Reproductive Health Manager, Ministry of Health, Dr Sarian Kamara said the success and development of any nation hinges on an improved reproductive health life of its citizenry.
She added that improving reproductive health is a priority in the President’s Agenda for Prosperity, adding that unsafe abortion is a big problem in the country and has become a pandemic though preventable.
Globally, Dr Kamara said, 210 million become pregnant and 135 million deliver live births; 75% of these pregnancies end in still births or abortion and 42 million pregnancies are terminated voluntarily.
She noted that unsafe abortion represents a grave public health problem and continue to pose risks, adding that women within the age group of 25-49 in Africa, do more of unsafe abortion.
Dr Kamara reiterated that unsafe abortion contributes 10% of maternal deaths and it is expensive to give post abortion care, adding that Government spends $272 to take care of one person who suffers from unsafe abortion and doctors spend almost 10 hours to treat them.
Ipas Policy Associate, Val Tucker said that the organisation is in 70 countries and focuses on research, training, community education and provide services.
She said Ipas also work with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and gives them technical support.
Tucker noted that the organisation is working on reducing unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion, saying “we believe no woman should die from unsafe abortion”.
The Policy Associate stated that her organisation works to ensure that women can obtain safe, respectful and comprehensive abortion care including counselling and contraception to prevent future unintended pregnancy.
Val Tucker stated that Ipas works around the world to increase women’s abilities to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights.
She said “we believe that every woman has a right to safe reproductive health choice including safe abortion”.
She reiterated that no woman should have to risk her life, her health, her fertility, her well-being or the well-being of her family because she lacks reproductive health care.
Unsafe abortion, she said, leads to short and long term illness, injury and infertility. She said “we are doing this because every woman counts”.
Founder of Women Advocacy and Agricultural Development Organisation (WAADO) Doris Webber said her organisation is community-based and is located in Waterloo.
She added that they started operations immediately after the war.
Doris said WAADO has a passion for women and as a result they have built relationship with other local and international organisations working on women issues.
She said WAADO has been working on issues like women empowerment, health, sexual violence, rape among others.
Presentations were also done by Marie Stopes, Dr Williamson Taylor and Charles Mambu.
By Abibatu Kamara