An autographed copy of this book was loaned to us by a friend who formerly lived as a neighbour of the author in Haileybury, in northern Ontario. (Both have now moved to southern Ontario.) A graduate of McMaster medical school, Dr. Roedde has divided her career between a practice and family in northern Ontario and working with a huge variety of government and donor agencies to improve the dreadful plight of pregnant women and young children in at least 30 third world countries, mostly in Africa and Southeast Asia.
This is not an enjoyable read, but it is not meant to be. It is rather a stark reminder of the horrible conditions, high maternal and infant mortality rates, inequalities, pervasive misogyny, malnutrition, and high prevalence of infectious diseases experienced by women in impoverished rural outposts, and the distorted priorities of often corrupt government leaders in the countries she visits. Loaded with data about programs to improve health outcomes, she seems to have appropriate priorities in emphasizing interventions for pregnant women and children, with improved family planning, access to education, contraception, abortion services, and emergency obstetrical interventions. A lapsed Catholic, she praises the work of Catholic priests who deliver condoms and support abortion services in defiance of official church dogma. The dominant cultural role of polygamous unscrupulous males who fail to do anything to help their wives, and who often marry 13 year old girls in exchange for a cow or goat is appropriately scorned. Many of them then infect their wives with AIDS. But such gender discrimination is deeply ingrained in many parts of the world.
The author’s altruism, passion and dedication shine through as she endures endless hardships and hazards visiting remote medical outposts lacking the most basic medical kit, or trained personnel, collecting data and writing up recommendations.
Her keen insights into the distorted priorities of many governments and international agencies, such as providing expensive drug treatment for AIDS rather than cheap preventive measures is acknowledged. With respect to Obama’s Global Health Initiative she notes that “ It was easier for the United States to come up with a $700 billion bailout for highly paid Wall Street gamblers, but we haven’t raised the $10.2 billion needed annually to save the lives of six million pregnant women and newborns.”
The writing is a bit disjointed and repetitive with the same sad tales of pregnant women and newborns needlessly dying for lack of very basic services reported from many countries, although she does include a chart showing where improvements have been made and where conditions for pregnant women and newborns have worsened.
An important sobering work, but not to be read by the despondent. I would love to hear the author provide an update ten years after this book was published.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks,
Janet P
The Passionate Reader 