They fought Ebola. Now, they’re providing reproductive healthcare through COVID-19.
If the COVID-19 crisis has taught us anything positive, it’s that we live among heroes; healthcare workers who put their personal safety at risk to help others. At MSI, we are proud of our courageous providers who continue to care for women, no matter the circumstances.
During the Ebola crisis, while clinics shuttered across West Africa, MSI providers in Sierra Leone stayed open at great personal risk. They did this knowing that a lack of access to reproductive healthcare services can be fatal, especially in Sierra Leone, which has the highest rate of pregnancy-related deaths in the world. Unsafe abortions account for 10% of those deaths.
Women were able to come into MSI clinics for contraception, care after unsafe abortions, and other reproductive healthcare needs. Access to contraception was particularly important for the women we served. In difficult and uncertain times, being able to prevent an unintended pregnancy makes an enormous difference in women’s lives — and reduces the strain on overburdened healthcare systems.
By the end of the crisis, the nationwide lack of access to reproductive healthcare services was estimated to have caused as many, or more, deaths as Ebola itself. Additionally, the rate of teen pregnancy rose by 50% . Dr. Felix Ikenna, an MSI Sierra Leone provider, says that had they stopped providing services during the Ebola crisis, the situation could have been much worse.
“The crisis led to a spike in the number of teenage pregnancies. People were too afraid to go to hospital or government facilities. If we had stopped providing contraception and post-abortion care, it would have been much worse.”
Dr. Ikenna also points out that, with proper protective measures, it’s possible to treat a patient suspected of having a virus, whether that be Ebola or COVID-19.
“I remember one woman came to us following a miscarriage. She had a fever and on reflection she probably had Ebola, but we were able to follow MSI infection prevention guidelines which stopped any cross infection. It’s the same now with COVID, if people come in with a cough it could be coronavirus or because the rains are coming. Whatever happens you need to protect yourself.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, across our 37 country programs, we estimate that there will be an additional 2.7 million unsafe abortions and 11,000 pregnancy-related deaths. We see every day that reproductive healthcare can’t just be closed down when crisis strikes. It is an essential service that not only saves women’s lives but gives them autonomy over their bodies and their futures. Lawmakers must do everything they can to maintain access to reproductive healthcare, from providing telemedicine services to loosening restrictions to abortion access. Women’s lives depend on it.
