Health Equity Around the World: Dr. Jean Berchmans Advances Reproductive Health Services in Rwanda
Jean Berchmans was a medical student at the University of Rwanda School of Medicine and Pharmacy when he co-founded the first chapter of GlobeMed based outside the United States in 2017. Since graduating in 2019, Jean has used his experience in GlobeMed to develop strategies for expanding equitable and accessible reproductive health services in Rwanda.
Since the start of 2021, Jean has been working full-time alongside eight of his colleagues to build Medical Doctors for Choice (MDFC) — a network of doctors who believe that reproductive health should be given without biases. MDFC aims to develop future pro-choice physicians by equipping them with the skills and knowledge to provide safe and respectful care.
MDFC focuses specifically on safe abortions, a service that is not widely available both in Rwanda and around the globe. Factors such as cultural values and religious beliefs cause many doctors to be hesitant about administering reproductive health services.
“We still have a lot of doctors who don’t understand that it’s within the right of the woman to receive safe abortion services” Jean shares. “Our goal is to provide doctors with the knowledge and skills to feel comfortable providing these services without any bias.”
By educating physicians on best practices for communicating with patients seeking reproductive care, Jean hopes that MDFC will encourage medical professionals to provide comprehensive sexual health resources.
The complex network of laws associated with reproductive healthcare also makes it difficult for doctors to decide when to administer these services. “There’s nowhere in the medical school curriculum where students learn the legality around reproductive services.” Jean says. To address this, MDFC is working to develop training programs centered on the delivery of safe abortion services to supplement medical education.
This training is especially important for physicians working in rural areas where medical services are often scarce and insufficient. “There is still much more work to do in existing district hospitals in Rwanda in terms of providing people in rural areas the same quality of care received by people living in urban areas.” Jean points out. “We see many patients who miss the opportunity to receive specialized services just because they are staying in places that are hard to get to.”
By targeting the most vulnerable patients, Jean and his colleagues are working to protect and advocate for those traditionally underserved by healthcare systems so they can not only survive, but thrive. This includes treating all patients with dignity and respect regardless of the care they are seeking. “As physicians, the most important things we can do are demonstrate compassion and give [our patients] the care that they are looking for.” Jean says.
Reflecting on his own journey to a career in medicine, Jean cites GlobeMed for deepening his interest in health advocacy work. “The strategy of joining students and linking them with grassroots organizations to improve health equity and social justice was something that was really impactful for me” Jean says. “GlobeMed has given me the chance to see health equity and understand social justice at another level. I probably wouldn’t have been able to develop this kind of outlook if I wasn’t involved in GlobeMed.” As a practicing physician, Jean uses this knowledge to relate individual patient experiences to broader trends of global health inequity.
While GlobeMed at the University of Rwanda wasn’t partnered with a specific grassroots organization, Jean credits chapter conversations about social justice for prompting members to engage with local community health leaders. “The chapter itself has opened the mind of the members to engage in other activities related to health equity by volunteering with a wide variety of different grassroots organizations,” Jean shares.
In addition to his work for Medical Doctors for Choice, Jean is also working on a book called A Shadow in a Woman’s Journey, a collection of stories from women who experienced complications as a result of insufficient reproductive healthcare. Jean plans to use these patient narratives as an educational tool for other doctors to understand the struggles women go through when trying to access sexual health services. “Many women have lost very important parts of their body through unsafe abortions, which is why we need to change abortion policies and challenge the existing roles of doctors through outreach and advocacy.” Jean says.
Looking ahead, Jean recommends that all students looking to enter the healthcare field join existing student organizations and associations that are concerned with responding to issues of healthcare inequity, especially while they’re in medical school. “It’s important that you get a chance to develop yourself before actually getting involved in the field” Jean says.
As part of GlobeMed’s 15-year anniversary, we’re stepping back to celebrate how far we’ve come and the meaning of our work over the years. This is part of a series of 15 stories we’re sharing about GlobeMed’s impact on partners, students, and alumni.
