Brookman-Amissah believes that extending this training to all midwives could revolutionise healthcare in Ghana and other African countries. But she admits it was an uphill struggle to persuade the overwhelmingly-male medical profession. The training programme is part of Ghana's Safe Motherhood Programme, involving the Health Ministry, the Ghana Registered Midwives Association and Ipas, an American non-governmental organisation. However, lack of information about the law means that most Ghanaians, including many health workers, mistakenly believe that abortion under any circumstance is illegal. In fact, Ghana relaxed its abortion law in 1985.
Fees can be very high.
Clients are led to believe that they are asking for a clandestine favour in which the provider may be putting his or her livelihood and status at stake. He says women's rights advocates in his country need to mount campaigns to help society understand the current law and what it allows. In addition, information and services for adolescents deserve the highest priority. Panos Feature Service, London.