African mothers want healthcare not abortion

Delegates at conference

Mothers in Africa want maternal healthcare, not abortion, an international conference in central London has heard this week.

The 'Abortion or maternal health? What should the UK be funding in developing countries?' conference, on Tuesday, heard from an international lineup of leading experts in maternal healthcare, law and research. The conference was attended by medical professionals, bioethicists, students and religious representatives from
many countries.

Professor Robert Walley, a leading obstetrician and founder of MaterCare International, told the conference: "In the countries in which I work, one in seven mothers will die due to lack of medical equipment." It is ridiculous to supply women with abortion and condoms when they need access to emergency obstetrical care. "Abortion is a sin of commission, but failing to provide mothers with obstetrical care is a sin of omission", he said.

Professor Walley described obstetrics is the most privileged of professions. The advent of mass abortion and contraception in the 1970s lead to obstetricians who wouldn't support abortion being forcing out of the profession. "Because I was against abortion, I was told to change speciality or leave", said Professor Walley. Medics must live according to their consciences, which tells them not to perform abortions. Medics are trained to save life not destroy it. Professor Walley said that people in the developing world are getting angry at Western pro-abortion bullying.

MaterCare International's Charter of Maternal Rights secures both maternal health and the welcome of the gift of children. Since 2005 MaterCare International has run a maternal health project in Kenya, bringing healthcare and hope to rural mothers. MaterCare International also organises workshops with multi-disciplinary speakers to educate medics in ethics. The late Pope John Paul II gave direct support and inspiration to MaterCare International and Catholic obstetricians everywhere.

During the conference Terry Brown of the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) told the conference how the SVP works to support poor women in Sudan and globally. Being pro-life and being pro-woman automatically go
together. Mr Brown asked delegates to pray for the work of both the SVP and SPUC.

Dr Obielumani Ideh, obstetrician and researcher from Nigeria, shared heartbreaking stories of the massive gap in healthcare between the UK and Africa. Women in Nigeria are forced to give birth in appalling conditions. Abuse and neglect of Nigerian women makes them scared of surgery such as caesareans.

In Nigeria, illegal abortions are being done under the euphemism of 'post-abortion care', said Dr Ideh. Abortion groups are selling manual vacuum aspirators (MVAs) which are being used to perform illegal abortions. Massive funding of the abortion group IPAS by the Nigerian government adds to a massive shortfall in real healthcare. Dr Ideh said that the problem of maternal mortality is mainly caused by governments failing to provide resources to doctors.

Source: SPUC/SVP