The Ontario government will cover the costs of the abortion pill Mifegymiso for rural areas, starting with 10 August. Women across Ontario will all have access to this medical alternative to abortion without paying.
LyndseyButcher, the executive director of Kitchener’s Shore Center said that women from Waterloo won’t need to travel anymore to Toronto for appointments in order to get access to medication.
The Abortion Pill Is a Safe Option
Health Canada approved the use of abortion pill Mifegymiso in 2016, as an alternative to surgical intervention for abortions up to 7 weeks.
The executive director from Planned Parenthood, Toronto, named Sarah Hobbs-Blyth, said that this option is safe and accessible for almost 30 years and it is used over 60 countries.NotishaMassaquoi, the executive director of Women’s Health in theCommunity Health Centrealso added that they have waited for this to happen so that they can offer their community safe access to abortions, no matter the patient’s economic or social status.
Lyndsey Butcherhad her center refer more than 100 women towards clinics from Toronto since the pill became available. They paid $ 300 – $ 460 for medication in downtown Toronto clinics and had to go to two appointments.
In order for the medics from Waterloo region to prescribe these pills, they must take an on-line course which is free and lasts 6 hours. The course is given by the Canadian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Butcher stated that she hopes the medication will be available with the help of OHIP and if family doctors will take the courses, it will be easier to provide abortion pills to their patients from all the province.
She also added that there’s a plan of building a network of doctors and nurse practitioners, as well as healthcare providers so that all the women in the province who need the pill will have a local place to reach.
