What can you do? : postabortion care in East and Southern Africa

This brochure is a general how-to for organizations and USAID Missions interested in implementing or supporting postabortion care in East and Southern Africa. After exploring the scope and the source of the problem (lack of access to family planning and reproductive health services), USAID regulations and guidelines are discussed, and then the basic elements of postabortion care are explored. Emphasis is placed on integrating emergency care within general health services. Patients seeking emergency services are typically entering the health care system for the first time, and therefore need general health assessments, as well as family planning counseling to prevent further unwanted pregnancies, and thus abortions. Counseling should also be provided to the husbands or partners of patients about when to seek emergency services (men, who typically control a household"s purse strings, make these decisions). Next, the brochure discusses program implementation; implementors should draw on the rich resources already available in the region (names and addresses of organizations working in the areas of policy, services, IEC, training, and research and evaluation are provided), seek to expand and improve existing programs, support the decentralization of postabortion care to the primary care level, and target young adults. A Strategic Framework diagram shows how the postabortion care initiative supports USAID Mission strategic objectives and contributes toward achievement of fertility and health goals. In addition, the brochure includes contact information for member organizations of the Postabortion Care Working Group (established in 1995) for East and Southern Africa, Nairobi, and a list of selected references, which may be ordered from REDSO/ESA.