LILIAN

My entire life, whenever I’ve seen a pregnant woman, I’ve always wondered what is going on with them. How are they feeling? How are they coping? 13 years ago, I became a midwife for Ghana’s public health service – it was a natural path for me and I’m proud of what I do.

Birth delivery, contraception, abortion... I’m there for all things related to women being in control of their pregnancies and lives. Well, this year things aren’t quite like that.

I’ve been forced to turn women away or tell them I cannot help.

Back in January we heard that US President Trump was withdrawing USAID funding. I noticed our contraceptive supplies dwindling soon after, and there was a lot of confusion – women kept asking us what’s happening. We had to tell them the US have cut everything, we can’t offer you a choice anymore.

Some days we can only offer certain contraceptive methods that are in stock, and other days there’s nothing we can give them.

‘But please, I don’t want to get pregnant,’ they say. All I can respond with is, ‘I’m so sorry’.

I am not angry but I’m very sad – it feels like we’re being thrown away and the people in charge don’t realise or care how we are suffering. I wish President Trump and decision-makers in the US could spend a day in my shoes, to see what I do for our community and what it means to us.

Sometimes people can forget the importance of tiny little lifesavers like contraceptive commodities and supplies. One small copper IUD can change a whole life and future. It can help someone avoid an unwanted pregnancy or an unsafe abortion. But only if it’s in stock.

So women have been turned away from their choice of contraception, and it’s been no surprise that I’ve been supporting more women with pregnancies this year. I’ve especially noticed many more scared, pregnant teenagers, as sexual health information and services aren’t reaching them.

Even less surprising is that more people are seeking abortions. Some are having safe abortions in hospitals and clinics like ours, and others are not so safe, like girls ingesting harmful concoctions.

When they don’t have the right access to care, there are only bad options left.

Not long ago someone came in to see me. She had previously been using the contraceptive injection regularly – then suddenly this year it wasn’t available. She was pregnant with her seventh child and crying bitterly, wanting to end the pregnancy. I supported her with an abortion she should never have had to go through.

I really feel the importance of my role as an abortion provider right now, more than I ever have before. I’m glad in Ghana we can offer women the choice of abortion. Imagine if a woman came in and asked for contraception to be told no. Then she gets pregnant and asks for an abortion and we say no. I know in some countries that’s the situation.

Me and my community, we pray every day for President Trump or someone to reinstate support and bring back our supplies.

Please, we say, we’ve worked so hard to bring choice to women and now it feels like we’re going backwards.

Please, we don’t want to lose any more lives.