SAHAYOG organizes state-level consultation of stakeholders on eve of International Safe Abortion Day

Bhubaneswar(28/09/2024): Voluntary organization SAHAYOG organized a state-level consultation of different stakeholders on the eve of International Safe Abortion Day 2024 at the Conference Hall Red Cross, Bhubaneswar.

At the start Bijayalaxmi Rautaray, Secretary of the Organization welcomed all guests, resource persons, Office bearers of All Odisha ASHA Unions, ASHAs, journalists, progressive lawyers, and CSO representatives.

The Amended MTP-Act 2021 is really a weapon for a person’s choice and decisions on reproductive as well as bodily autonomy.

Safe abortion is health care so its’ the undeniable duty of the state to ensure the availability and accessibility safe and legal abortion service for all who needs the service.

Former Director of Health and Family Welfare Dr.Seba Mahapatra discussed the issues in implementation of Act in past and now.

She told safe abortion is essential and a health need.

It is an old Act and the amended Act which interpreted by the Supreme Court favoring reproductive autonomy.

Every pregnant person has the intrinsic right to choose to undergo or not to undergo abortion without any consent or authorization from a third party.

The Amendment Act is much more progressive and inclusive the MTP Act does not make a distinction between married and unmarried women for the purpose of medical termination.

Yes, sometimes women are facing emotional turmoil after abortion how should they take care of own body in post abortion and it is the responsibility of family member or the male partner.

Our ASHA workers are doing very good work.

It is the responsibility of ANMs to counsel them.

It is the role and responsibility of the State to ensure safe and accessible abortion services and post-abortion care.

In that way, we can save women from mortality and lifelong morbidity.

Dr.Sanjay Ray, Assistant Director of Capital Hospital Bhubaneswar spoke about the abortion services, the conditionality, free availability, contraception services, pre and post abortion care availability in government health facilities and the new amended guideline of MTP Act-2021.

He said, "Unsafe abortion is life-threatening and dangerous and makes everything disadvantageous.

Post abortion we have to give foru services to save abortion seekers from abortion related complication and life long morbidity." Gouranga Mahapatra, the State Convener of Jan Swasthya Aviyan said we are repeatedly speaking about sensitization but if our mindset is not changing then there is no use.

In the health system from top to bottom, the conscious and compassionate mind can properly execute any progressive laws for women's health rights.

For the first time, an unmarried girl is permitted to terminate her pregnancy and the provision of confidentiality of the person seeking MTP is the most important thing and replace women as a person, replace husband to partner.

The second session started with panel discussion moderated by Gouranga Mahapatra.

Health and independent journalists asked many thought provoking queries to the panelists.

The front-line workers Union office bearers discuss the immediate issues when doing their jobs.

Most women never want to speak out about their issues to keep a pregnancy.

Pills are widely available and they are used without a doctor’s advice.

That also impacts their health.

Different NGO representatives and CommonHealth members doing sensitization also shared their field experiences. The government should support Civil Societies to spread awareness and change the attitude of society.

Media the mirror of the society has a stupendous role to ensure the proper implementation of the rules so, that asking for abortion service will no more interpret as shameful or sin, expressed Bijayalaxmi Rautaray. Rakhi Ghosh, Madhusmita Jena and Namita Sahoo prominently shared their views.