Abortion is a critical part of reproductive health for anyone who can become pregnant and a person’s right to choose whether they will continue a pregnancy is their choice alone. “In Canada, abortion is a very common procedure. Up to one in three women of reproductive age get an abortion in their lifetime.” (Action Canada). Unfortunately, legal and common do not translate to accessible. 

When seeking abortion services, patients are still being denied accurate information in a timely manner about medical abortion that is available in the Northern Health Region. Medical abortion using Mifegymiso can only be done up to 9 weeks. Many people do not find out they are pregnant until 6-8 weeks. Therefore this is a time-sensitive health issue and should be treated as such by our healthcare system. If a patient requires or prefers a surgical abortion, they are forced to travel to Winnipeg. The equipment is available in Thompson to perform a surgical abortion but no doctors employed by the NRHA will perform elective surgical abortion.

Abortion was legalized in Canada in 1988 and yet, in 2022 we still do not have full access to this service in Thompson, Manitoba. As a hub for Northern Manitoba, this is unacceptable. 

We call on The Northern Regional Health Authority to 1) have more health care practitioners who can prescribe Mifegymiso, 2) Carry Mifegymiso in the clinic pharmacy, 3) provide surgical abortion, 4) ensure that all staff are trained to properly support and guide patients seeking an abortion, 5) provide detailed and culturally relevant information about abortion services in the North on both their website and in written format that will be readily available within all facilities.

Abortion access must be a top priority for the NRHA. We have the right to access safe abortion services in Northern Manitoba.