Mayor Eric Adams recently announced the initiation of the New York City Women’s Health Agenda. One of the pillars of the agenda is a program that will provide free abortion pills. The abortion pills will be given out at four public clinics in the city. This will make New York the first city to do so. “No other city in the nation or in the world has a public health department that is providing medication abortions,” Adams said. “We are the first.”
The Four Clinics
The four clinics that will provide free abortion pills are in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. The Morrisania Sexual Health Clinic in the Bronx started the program on Wednesday, January 18, a day after Mayor Adams made the announcement. The other three clinics will provide the service by the end of the year. According to the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Ashwin Vasan, once all the clinics become operational, they will be able to provide close to 10,000 medication abortions yearly. Free abortion pills will be available to everyone whether they are residents of New York City or not.
All Are Welcome
The fact that New York City will freely provide abortion medication to all has garnered a negative reaction from anti-abortion advocates. During Mayor Adams’ interview with The Brian Lehrer Show, he touched on that aspect of the free abortion pills. “A primary goal is to ensure women in this state have whatever is available for them for their healthcare needs. But at the same time, we wanted to send a message to the women of this country, because our relationship with women in this country is not limited to the geographical boundaries of New York State. I have aunts, and aunties, and nieces that are all over this country, and I wanted to make sure that we send a message that no matter who you are, that you have a right to be in control of your body, and New York State is going to be a leading voice on that,” he said.
Since the Supreme Court of the United States’ overturning of Roe v Wade, New York City has been launching initiatives that are pro-women. Besides the free abortion pill program, Mayor Adams has launched the Abortion Access Hub, the Abortion Rights Act, a midwifery initiative, and a maternal health services program.
