In a world where abortion remains a contentious issue, Dr. Eunice Brookman-Amissah, a distinguished Ghanaian physician, has spent three decades tirelessly blazing the trail to decriminalize the practice. Now, she has one of the highest international honours in recognition of that.
The former Health Minister has been advocating for access to safe abortion in Africa. It is a deeply controversial subject, but it is a cause that has united healthcare providers, government officials, lawyers, and activists in a collective effort to empower women and save lives.
In recognition of her exceptional contributions, Dr. Brookman-Amissah has been honored with the Right Livelihood Award, often referred to as the “Alternative Nobel Prize.” This prestigious accolade celebrates her pioneering role in championing women’s reproductive rights in Africa and her unwavering dedication to liberalizing abortion laws and improving access to safe abortion.
Dr. Brookman-Amissah’s story is one of drastic change in perception. She candidly acknowledges that she was initially socialized to believe that abortion was wrong.
A belief deeply rooted in the criminalization of abortion in many countries. In her own words, “Abortion is the only medical condition that is in the Criminal Code, punishable as an offense. And so that tends to influence your thoughts and beliefs about this.”
However, her perspective underwent a profound shift when she tragically lost a pediatric patient to unsafe abortion. This heart-wrenching experience shook her to the core. She recalled the devastating case of a 14-year-old girl who came to her clinic seeking to abort a pregnancy.
Dr. Brookman-Amissah had to turn her away, as her clinic did not provide abortion services. Tragically, the young girl sought the services of a quack and lost her life in the process. Dr. Brookman-Amissah related that she couldn’t help but ask herself what her role had been in this tragic outcome.
The incident remains fresh in her mind. “I had a patient, at age 14, she walked into my surgery and said the man in the house had asked her to come for an abortion. I said, we don’t do that in this clinic. Monday, we didn’t see her. Tuesday, we didn’t see her on Wednesday.
There was a lot of commotion and now I was told by my nurses that she had been taken to court, because she really didn’t know what was happening. Over the weekend, they had messed up a botched abortion. Unfortunately, she died. I asked myself, what was my contribution to her death and why that was so.”
It changed her outlook forever and she made a decision that where she could, she would help those in need of safe abortions.
Despite witnessing a decrease in unsafe abortion-related deaths over the years, Dr. Brookman-Amissah remains steadfast in her commitment to women’s reproductive health. She emphasizes that there is still much work to be done, as women continue to die from preventable causes.
She firmly believes that women have a fundamental right to healthcare and that comprehensive services can save lives. Access to contraception or family planning, she asserts, is essential to reducing the incidence of unsafe abortions arising from unwanted pregnancies.
“Even though there has been so much that’s been achieved, a lot more needs to be done. Women are still dying, and it’s all unnecessary. Women have a right to healthcare. We have the knowledge, we have the instruments, we have everything to stop women from dying.
Therefore, more work needs to be done to get women the services that will prevent them from dying. And we need to increase access to contraception or family planning because unsafe abortions arise out of unwanted pregnancies,” Dr. Brookman-Amissah passionately stated.
To put the gravity of the situation into perspective, it’s essential to consider the toll of unsafe abortions on women’s lives. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 23,000 maternal deaths occur annually due to unsafe abortions. These alarming statistics underscore the urgent need for comprehensive reproductive health services and safe abortion access.
Beyond her advocacy for reproductive rights, Dr. Eunice Brookman-Amissah has had a distinguished career in public service. Aside being a former Minister of Health in Ghana, she has served as an Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands under the Rawlings government. Notably, she was the first female Vice-President of the Ghana Medical Association.
Dr. Eunice Brookman-Amissah’s remarkable journey serves as an inspiration to us all. Her tireless advocacy and unwavering commitment to women’s reproductive health have undoubtedly made a profound impact, saving lives and paving the way for a brighter, more equitable future in Africa and beyond.
By Emmanuel Samani