Ipas Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) recently helped develop a training curriculum and set of health system tools for comprehensive abortion care (CAC) in a vital step toward implementing the Maputo Protocol. These tools will enable access to legal and safe abortion care for women across the country by aligning the health system with standards and guidelines recently approved by the Ministry of Health that remove barriers of marital and parental consent and proof of rape.
“These new tools are a vital part of the DRC government’s efforts to promote reproductive justice as a critical component of women’s empowerment,” said Dr. Jean-Claude Mulunda, Director of Ipas Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Ipas DRC will support expansion of these tools, as well as assist with follow-up and clinical mentoring of trained providers to ensure quality abortion care is available, accessible and affordable.
“The ratification of the Maputo Protocol has created a significant need to update our policies and management tools,” said Dr. Ilunga Bodi, the secretary general of health, at an endorsement ceremony for the tools and curriculum. “The step taken today will help strengthen the health system, facilitate the integration of CAC into the health system at all levels and permit us to finally fill the gap caused by the lack of credible abortion data.”
Dr. Anne-Marie Tumba, director of the Programme National de la Sante Reproductive (PNSR), said, “These tools will contribute towards the provision of holistic quality care to women and girls who desperately need them and will also reduce maternal mortality caused by unsafe abortions. It will allow the government to make decisions based on factual evidence.”
