The Ministry of Health is currently putting measures in place to make abortion services accessible at public health facilities a reality soon, says Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud.
Persaud told Stabroek News that the process has started and although he could not give a timeframe for when it will be implemented, it could be “even earlier than July”.
He explained that as the CMO he will have to certify the obstetricians who will perform the procedures and before this could be done the doctors would have to pass an in-depth safety review.
“The process has started to bring termination of pregnancies to public healthcare facilities… It is not just a simple project so we are currently working on it… not only because a doctor has a licence, the CMO will have to certify them to do terminations,” he said.
Persaud added that public health facilities would also have to meet specified requirements before terminations can be offered. “An inspection of the government facilities needs to be completed… we have to check about confidentiality, safe methods and practices, appropriate medications, necessary staff and so on,” he explained.
Although the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act became operational in
