“I FEEL PRIVILEGED TO MAKE THIS DIFFERENCE.”

Christie Buono, Senior Manager of Community Partnerships, spoke to Dr. Sadiq Abdulla, an obstetrics anesthesiologist at BC Women’s Hospital to talk about the release of our new BC Women’s Health Foundation- face masks, and how COVID-19 has impacted women’s health and his job as an essential worker hero. 

CB: Why do you feel it’s important to support women’s health during this time, and beyond?

Dr. SA: Historically, women’s health has been a neglected area of innovation and research. Women are the backbones of families and communities; it is critical that we work to improve the diagnostic capability of women’s health concerns and improve the quality of life for all women. During the pandemic, women’s health issues have been further relegated to the backburner; it is now more important than ever to ensure that we push forward in eliminating healthcare inequity for women and promote healthier lives for women everywhere.

CB: How has COVID-19 impacted how you do your job? Are there positive changes that you hope to learn from and integrate into your work post-COVID-19?

SA: Giving birth during the COVID-19 pandemic is a lonely experience. Family members have been unable to provide the support to women in labour and the postpartum period that they otherwise would have been able to do. The healthcare team has filled this void by offering a hand to hold or words of encouragement. I hope that this empathy will persist long after the pandemic is over.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to dissect every aspect of our work to evaluate how we safely deliver care. Optimization of our clinical practice has allowed us to responsibly conserve PPE so that it is available to all that require it. I hope that after the pandemic is over, this attitude of conservation and limiting waste in the healthcare system will persist so that we can make our resources go even further to improve the care we provide to women in our community.

CB: What motivates you to get out of bed every morning, in your role?

SA: Obstetric anesthesiologists like me are uniquely qualified to provide pain relief to women in labour by offering epidural analgesia. We are also the physicians that provide the surgical anesthesia required to save a mom or baby’s life in an emergency. Being able to provide this care to women is extremely rewarding, and I feel privileged to be able to go to work every day (or night) to make this difference.

CB:  Is there a woman, or women, in your life who inspires you?

SA: Everyday I am inspired by my wife. She is the mother of our two children, and during her maternity leaves, not only did she care for the both of them, she obtained her Master of Science in Nursing.  She is a professional that makes a difference everyday as a Perinatal Clinical Educator at BC Women’s Hospital by providing our nurses with the skills and knowledge necessary to provide world-class clinical care.

CB: Thank you for speaking to us Sadiq! Final question: if you were to bump into someone wearing a BCWHF face mask or who had donated to BC Women’s, what would you want to say to them?

SA: Thank you for supporting the women in our community. Your generosity will help all of the women that are important to us have access to the world-class care they deserve so that they can lead healthy and fulfilling lives. You should be incredibly proud of the difference that you are making.

BC Women’s Health Foundation is BC’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the full spectrum of women’s health. The information shared is intended to educate, inform, and point readers to credible sources. It is not intended to substitute professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of qualified healthcare professionals with any questions specific to your medical condition.