Review: Belly Woman, by Benjamin Black

May 2014. Sierra Leone is ranked the country with the highest death rate of pregnant women in the world. The same month, Ebola crosses in from neighbouring Guinea. Arriving a few weeks later, Dr Benjamin Black finds himself at the centre of an exponential Ebola outbreak.

From impossible decisions on the maternity ward to moral dilemmas at the Ebola Treatment Centres. One mistake, one error of judgment, could spell disaster.

My Review

Thanks to the author, publisher and blog tour organiser for my copy of this book.

I have to admit I’ve only got half way through this book; I’ve been ill and busy with work. What I’ve read so far is impressive. Dr Black decided as a young man that he wanted to work in the humanitarian sector. After working on the Myanmar-Thai border and seeing the desperate need for obstetricians and gynaecologists he decided to specialise as an obgyn. He’s worked in the NHS and private practice, and has done missions with MSF.

This book covers his first mission – as an obgyn in Sierra Leone in 2014, as the Ebola outbreak intensified. He worked in a referral hospital and did stints at an Ebola treatment centre on the border. He dealt with complex deliveries with limited means, lack of PPE and internal politics.

Dr Black writes emotively about complex and sometimes harrowing experiences and events. His writing shows a great deal of respect for the local staff and his international colleagues. He is well aware that he’s a privileged man in a position of authority over women in distress and poverty.

This is the second book I’ve read this year from a doctor who has worked or works with MSF. They’re both fascinating stories, but they both highlighted problems with the way aid is administered and the limit to the work that can be done.

About the Author

Dr Benjamin Black is a descendent of Iranian, Jewish, and British roots.
His family heritage of persecution and forced migration led him to a career in medical humanitarian relief. He is a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist based in London and a specialist advisor to international aid organisations, including Médecins Sans Frontières, government departments, academic institutions, and UN bodies. Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic he provided frontline healthcare to pregnant women and supported the development of international guidelines. Benjamin teaches medical teams around the world on improving sexual and reproductive health care to the most vulnerable people in the most challenging of environments.