Voluntary organisation SAHAYOG held a State-level consultation of different stakeholders on the eve of the International Safe Abortion Day 2023 here. SAHAYOG secretary Bijayalaxmi Rautaray welcomed all.
TL –SHSRC, NHM, Dr DinabandhuSahu representing the Department of Health and Family Welfare gave the keynote speech. He shared about the Government measures to ensure proper implementation of the amended MTP-Act, 2021.
Former Director, Health and Family Welfare, Dr Seba Mahapatra discussed the issues in implementation of Act in past and now. The amendment Act is much more progressive, Mahapatra opined.
National Joint Convener of Jan Swasthya Aviyan Gouranga Mahapatra said, “We are repeatedly speaking about sensitization but if our mindset is not changing then there is no use.”
Health and independent journalists asked many thought provoking queries to the panelists. Different NGO representatives and health members doing sensitization also shared their field experiences.
The Government should support civil societies to spread awareness and change the attitude of society. Media has a stupendous role to ensure the proper implementation of the rules, so that asking for abortion service will no longer be interpreted as shameful or sin, said the experts.
