Global voices: A public sector midwife trained by MSI is changing lives

In the ‘Global Voices’ series, we share seven stories from MSI healthcare providers, leaders, clients and partners. Their reflections and experiences inform, inspire and invigorate–read them all in our latest Annual Review.

Jennifer is a senior staff midwife in the Ghana Health Service. Trained by MSI on providing quality abortion care and contraceptive choice through the public health system, she proudly supports women and girls in her community.

At our small local facility, I start my work as a midwife at 8am. Antenatal care, postnatal care, birth delivery – anything to do with midwifery, we are good to go. Now I provide comprehensive abortion care as well.

It’s a noble profession. But when it has to do with abortion, there’s this stigma attached. People ask why a midwife should provide abortion. Some see abortion as a sin because of their religion or beliefs. Previously we even had staff at this public health facility that would turn abortion clients away saying, ‘We don’t do that here. This is an abomination’. People in our community were reluctant to come to our facility for safe services because of these staff members’ views.

Then we had training organised by MSI. One part was a Values Clarification for Action and Transformation Training called VCAT, which was helpful because we had staff coming for the training who held misconceptions and had not clarified their values.

We talked through examples, like if a girl gets pregnant and resorts to an unsafe abortion. We wouldn’t want that. We don’t want people to be dying, people to be doing their own abortions when they can come to us for comprehensive care, for safe care. After my training with MSI, I started talking about abortion during home visits and girls were confiding in me. I told one of my supervisors that the values training should be given to all health workers.

We also learned comprehensive abortion care, both surgical and medical, through MSI’s training. We learned to provide counselling, understand the level of gestation, know the complications, and provide services. We can now explain this all to people beforehand, and they can make a choice.

I think pregnancy should be a choice. Maybe you’re not aware of contraception, or there’s been a mistake. You are a student who wants to pursue your education, or you’re married but want to continue working at your job. Then you are pregnant. I should be there for you. I will counsel you. I will provide the service, then you move on in life.

I remember one girl… she was pregnant and came in with her stepmother. She couldn’t speak up. So we asked the stepmother to excuse us so that we could talk to the girl alone, and we found out she was raped. Her stepmother said she has to give birth, but the girl doesn’t want to. She wants to go to school. If we help her, at the end of the day she’ll go back to school and pursue her dreams. So of course we supported her with the abortion she wanted, and when I saw her again two months later, she was wearing her uniform – I was so happy.

A lot of girls talk to me about their health. They call me. Sometimes we talk about their menstrual cycle, their reproductive health, contraception. I tell them, when they are ready, they can come to me anytime. If they know people who didn’t intend to get pregnant and pregnancy comes, they can bring them to me, and I will help them. Whatever, wherever, I can deliver. I am always proud to be an abortion provider.

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