"Inspirational and Important" - an independent view of MSI's work

Dr Elizabeth Bianchi was recently engaged as a consultant to review clinical services in the Nepal programme. Here, she recounts her experience and impressions of Sunaulo Parivar Nepal

“I got to see MSI in action for the first time from the back seat of a pick-up truck on a bumpy road in 38 degree Celsius weather and 100% humidity, with sweat dripping freely off the bottom of my ear lobes!

I saw with fresh eyes what everyone who works for MSI already knows, something truly important and inspirational is happening everyday while you work for this organisation. You already know that MSI serves almost five million people a year in 38 countries, but what I saw with my fresh eyes is a unique organisation with special people that are more than just dedicated to a mission.

I recently met some of these extraordinary people while I was in Nepal for a midterm review of clinic services being provided by Sunaulo Parivar Nepal. We travelled for nine hours by truck over bumpy roads in stifling heat to see one of the more remote clinics. But the most amazing thing was that the staff was still waiting for us when we arrived to see their clinic, more than four hours later than we were expected.

Even though we were hot, dirty, sweaty and a little cranky, compared to their crisp uniforms and clean smiling faces, we couldn’t help but be infected with their enthusiasm. They had an intense pride in their clinic that was evident as they showed us around.

They wanted to show us everything: How they cared for clients in a warm and friendly reception room; their efforts to provide a comfortable and private recovery area. They truly cared about the comfort and safety of the clients they serve. From potted plants, pictures on the walls and grooming products available in the recovery room, they did everything they could think of to make their women clients feel more confident and well taken care of while they are visiting the clinic.

The clinic was nestled in a typical overused and dingy area of the small town. As I imagine most MSI clinics are, it was a bright blue sparkling destination that women can recognize as a safe and comfortable place to get the information and services they need. In all the clinics I visited I saw the same enthusiasm and dedication to the detail that make MSI clinics stand out as a special haven for men and women in these communities.

In sharp contrast, I had the opportunity to see a government run clinic. Abortion services have been legal in Nepal for three years now, and the government is trying to provide abortion services that are safe as well. However, the difference between how MSI and the government delivered services is remarkable.

The government clinics see multiple clients with assembly-line like procedures being provided by physicians in bloody aprons. Client after client. And then women recover in a room with multiple cots lined up in rows with two women lying side by side on each cot until they have recovered enough to leave.

This was nothing like the services I saw at the Marie Stopes clinics. Both organizations have a similar mission, but the people who work for MSI are remarkable in their dedication to the clients and the actual delivery of services.

The attitude of the dedicated staff to provide an uplifting experience in a safe environment was not just reserved for a developing country. When I arrived back in London for debriefing, the same energy and enthusiasm met me there.

From the clinic manager who warmly conversed with clients and staff, to the physician who actually provided the abortion service with kind words and gentle hands, to the medial director’s compassionate struggle with a major client complication, I could see through each of their actions that MSI is not just an organization with a mission - MSI is a group of people at all levels of the organization who have a passion for helping women get safe abortions, sterilizations, and education about reproductive health that surpassed all my “fresh eye” expectations.

Thank you everyone, for the remarkable work you are doing!”

Related categories: Nepal