Alfonso is the Medical Director for MSI Mexico and has worked in healthcare for more than 35 years.
An obstetrician/gynaecologist by training, he moved into abortion care because, as he says, “I believe abortion is a human right. My three daughters, my wife, my mother, my grandmother – they are the reason I do this.”
He has witnessed enormous change. “When Mexican states started decriminalising abortion, we were able to take clients’ hands in our own and tell them ‘we are with you.’”
Today, thanks to tireless advocacy and legal progress, abortion has been decriminalised by the Supreme Court and is accessible on demand in many states – an outcome Alfonso once thought impossible. “I never thought I was going to see that in my lifetime. This change has come from the people, from the ground up.”
For Alfonso, the reason to keep going is simple: abortion care saves lives.
“People ask why I do this work and it’s simple: abortion is needed. Often clients come back to thank me, saying I saved their life. Yes, we change lives but we don’t do it to feel better about ourselves. We do it because it’s needed, it’s healthcare, it’s the way it should be.”
But the work comes with challenges. Stigma and harassment are constant, not only for Alfonso but also for his family. His daughters have faced discrimination, and one was forced to change workplaces due to hostility linked to his role. Still, Alfonso remains proud: “My family are advocates for women’s rights and we don’t hide. We are fighters.”
Despite everything, Alfonso remains steadfast in his commitment and in training the next generation. He’s trained 35 government health workers in abortion care, ensuring services reach far beyond his own clinic.
His decades of service stand as a testament to resilience and compassion – and, as he puts it simply:
“Abortion is needed. That’s it.”
