Guatemala’s health system includes a network of 22 hospitals located around the country, where traditional methods of dilation and curetage have been used for treatment of incomplete abortions, and where little attention has been given to family planning or humane treatment of the women undergoing the procedure. The IPPF affiliate APROFAM and a local organization CIESAR (Centro de Investigación Epidemiológica en Salud Sexual y Reproductiva) have initiated a training center in post-abortion care (PAC) in Guatemala City. By October 2001, approximately 15 teams of physician, nurse, and counselor will have been trained in PAC, each from a different local hospital around the country. These teams will receive supervision visits after their training, and will themselves become trainers for other medical professionals in their area. The curriculum includes technical matters such as the use of MVA (Manual Vacuum Aspiration) equipment as well as appropriate counseling techniques for post-abortion contraceptive decision making, pain management, HIV/AIDS prevention, some aspects of violence against women, and data management. This paper will explore the country context and its effect on initial delays in project implementation, the strategy of making initial visits to each hospital to explain the training opportunity and gain support of the hospital director, the issues involved in initial supply and resupply of MVA equipment, and the results achieved in terms of patients served and local training carried out by the teams trained in Guatemala City.
Learning Objectives: Listeners will understand the strategy for training trainers in client-centered post-abortion care in a Latin American country, including how to gain acceptance for the topic as well as the details of the curriculum.
Keywords: Latin American, Post-Abortion Care
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: IPPF/WHR employee and Erik E. & Edith H. Bergstrom Foundation grantee