The Community Healthcare Initiative Boss Naomi Tulay Solanke has admitted that there is a need for Liberian women who are sometimes compelled, to carry out abortion to know their rights.
“A woman must give her consent on matters of abortion because it is a woman’s body that carries a Child, therefore, she must have a say when it comes to keeping a child or not, and that decision does not lie squarely on the shoulders of her male partner” Solanke averred.
Whilst in an exclusive dialogue at CHI headquarters in Mamba Kaba District, Marshall, Margibi County, Solanke, said her organization has done about 156 deliveries as of January 2023 and, the infant mortality rate is 1.6% because some patients go to CHI Clinic after attempting or utilizing unsafe Abortion procedures but, the overall good news is that almost all of the Pregnant Women, who visit the Community Healthcare Initiative (CHI), Clinic from day one of their Pregnancy has a 100% prognosis and they eventually give birth on time as scheduled or speculated.
CHI Boss Solanke furthered, that even though there is always an issue of intricacy when it comes to abortion or normal delivery cases, CHI professional staff, always do their best to care for every patient regardless of their religious affiliation, political, social, educational, or financial status.
” In cases where Patients tried to do unsafe Abortion procedures and they are rushed here at our Clinic, we examined the patients and once we observed that they have complications, we immediately send them for Surgical procedures where their cases are handled meticulously” Solanke deliberated.
Moreover, the Community Healthcare Initiative (CHI) has over the years, saved numerous impoverished Liberian Women from the chilly hands of death after they engaged in unsafe abortion practices either by going to Herbalist, an amateur, or an inexperienced health practitioner.
“When it comes to accessing abortion at our facility, most of the abortions, or 90% of the cases, are Life-threatening Abortions. That means, that the women tried or attempted, to remove the Pregnancy in their community and it was unsuccessful and which subsequently led to excessive bleeding, and extreme or excruciating abdominal pains when they are rushed here, we instantly focus on them so that their lives can be saved” spoke out Solanke.
In continuation, the laws on Abortion in Liberia, are not spoken of and, numerous women are not aware of their rights when it comes to keeping a pregnancy.
“Abortion is legal in Liberia if it is done to save the life of the woman; to preserve physical and/or mental health; in the case of rape or incest; and if there is fetal impairment. Abortion is not allowed for economic or social reasons or on request. The Maputo Protocol states in Article 14 (1b) that women should have “the right to decide whether to have children, the number of children and the spacing of children” and in Article 14 (1c) “the right to choose any method of contraception”. However, in Article 14(2c) it says that State Parties should take all appropriate measures to “protect the reproductive rights of women by authorizing medical abortion in cases of sexual assault, rape, incest, and where the continued pregnancy endangers the mental and physical health of the mother or the life of the mother or the fetus” declares the Abortion Law of Liberia.
“We know that our Clinic is all the way here in Marshall Margibi County, but if you got time, you got transportation and you require safe Abortion or you want to take treatment to be able to give Birth to a Healthy Baby Boy or Girl then, please come to the Community Healthcare Initiative Clinic where we have specialists waiting to attend to you” concluded Solanke.
In the meantime, as the Community Healthcare Initiative (CHI), carries out mass sensitization on the Sexual Reproductive Health Rights of Women and educates women on the perils of unsafe Abortion, a considerable Women are now becoming conscious of their rights and some are now voluntarily walking in to seek medical attention at CHI Clinic where the environment is facilitative and has advanced sterilized life-saving equipment
Emmanuel Logan, Is A Renowned Liberian Poet And Journalist With Over 19 Years Of Experience In Journalism. He Is Also An Economist and An Award-Winning Journalist Who Has Practiced As A Broadcaster, A TV Presenter, A Newspaper Managing Editor, And A Talkshow Host.