A must-read for our times…riveting, illuminating and humbling.’ Aminatta Forna, author of The Memory of Love and The Devil That Danced on the Water
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When Dr Benjamin Black arrives in Sierra Leone, he is prepared for managing pregnancy emergencies. His journey coincides with an Ebola outbreak which spins out of control and he soon finds himself at the centre of the largest epidemic in history. Women with pregnancy complications arrive at the hospital in critical conditions, often with symptoms indistinguishable from deadly Ebola, making everyday decisions terrifying ultimatums.
From the maternity ward to the Ebola Treatment Centres, one mistake could spell disaster. Fear takes hold and colleagues become infected as the international response slowly splutters into action. As the epidemic ends, Black is left reckoning with the demons of the past and facing the challenges of building a fairer, more resilient future.
Belly Woman is a testimony to one of the greatest health emergencies of modern times, raising questions on the global inequality of safe birth, lessons not learnt and opportunities not taken.
