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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Lisa Bohmer¹, Khama Rogo², M. Muganda-Onyando³, Monica Oguttu³, K. Magak³, M. Mukenge⁴, J. Ochieng³, S. Orero³, and C. Ombaka³. (1) Pacific Institute for Women's Health, 3450 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1000, Los Angeles, CA 90010, 310-572-1916, lbohmer202@yahoo.com, (2) World Bank, 1818 H St. NW, Washington, DC, DC 20433, (3) Center for the Study of Adolescence, P.O. Box 19329, Nairobi, Kenya, (4) Global Fund for Women, 1375 Sutter St., Suite 400, San Francisco, CA 94109

Many girls and women continue to have no option other than unsafe abortion and its life threatening consequences. It is increasingly recognized that clinical interventions alone to improve the treatment of complications of unsafe abortion are not enough. This paper will describe several efforts to engage communities in defining solutions, creating linkages between traditional and formal health systems and destigmatizing unwanted pregnancy and abortion. Project examples and lessons learned from Kenya, Bolivia and Tanzania will be discussed. Strategies presented will include fostering community recognition of the complications of abortion as an obstetrical emergency, engaging primary healthcare workers and traditional providers such as herbalists to improve access to contraceptives and strengthen referral networks, training of community leaders and using creative communications such as drama to promote prevention and increase dialogue and community level support. Lessons learned include the importance of simultaneously addressing quality of care and availability of providers able to deliver a full range of abortion and postabortion care services to enable girls and women to realize their rights.

Learning Objectives:

• Gain familiarity with several innovative approaches to community engagement to destigmatize abortion and increase access to services
• Understand the need to link clinical services with community level structures
• Appreciate the human rights implications of the dynamics of unwanted pregnancy and abortion at the community level

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation