Médecins Sans Frontières performs 35,000 abortions in 33 countries in 202

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has clearly deviated from its charter of ‘providing medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare.’ The genesis of providing abortions was in 2003 as seen in minutes from the MSF International Council Meeting, 21-23 November 2003. Read more.

‘On 21 November 2004 the IC adopted the following resolution: The IC states that: 1. The provision of comprehensive reproductive health care is essential in all MSF general medical programs 2. Despite recent improvements and efforts, such care is still poorly accessible to patients in MSF programs 3. The availability of safe abortion should be integrated as a part of reproductive health care in all contexts where it is relevant. 4. MSF’s role in termination of pregnancy must be based on the medical and human needs of our patients 14 in favour - 2 abstentions (UK, Denmark) - 2 absents (Austria, HK)’.

The extent to which adoption of MSF’s adoption of the practice of abortion is referred to on their website. The MSF website hosts an article dated 28/9/22 titled ‘Q and A: How MSF provides abortion care now. In the article a midwife, trained to provide abortions states‘’

‘’As part of our commitment to reduce maternal mortality in places where we work, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) offers safe abortion care at many of our projects. We have made a global effort to address obstacles and scale up safe abortion services. As a result, the number of safe abortions we have provided has increased from around 74 in five countries in 2015 to nearly 35,000 in 33 countries in 2021. ‘’ and ‘Most women choose to have an abortion with pills, an extremely safe method that can be done on an outpatient basis, does not usually require blood tests or ultrasounds, and can be administered by nurses or midwives.’’

It is encouraging to hear those providing vital health services to expectant mothers employed in the health services are opposing these abortions. The midwife continues: ”When I arrived I found MSF had stopped providing safe abortion care services in the Ministry of Health hospital that we were supporting. This time, it was due to a lack of knowledge and negative attitudes on the part of a few of the Ministry of Health staff working at the hospital”. bit.ly/43ofXVJ

It is ironic the front cover of the MSF Annual Activity Impact Report is labelled: A father holds his twin daughters, Heba and Malath who are receiving care in the newborn unit of a Médecins Sans Frontières-supported hospital in Yemen.