Doctors also oppose enactment of Penal Code
CMD and private clinics reject the Law because they feel it is simplistic
Lisania Batista
SANTO DOMINGO. The Dominican Medical College (CMD), the Association of Private Clinics and Hospitals and societies of medical specialists joined yesterday the organizations tied to the health sector that asked President Danilo Medina to veto the new Penal Code, because they reject article 109 which refers to abortion.
Pedro Sing, the CMD president, speaking for the three entities, said that the article neither establishes nor describes the condition under which doctors and other support personnel as well as health centers should act in the case of the therapeutic abortion.
He said that what is established in the article is an increase of the penalties from 5 to 10 years in jail, which he feels violates women's rights.
He considered that the focus of the Penal Code places the woman in a vulnerable condition and ties up the clinics and doctors by leaving them without any space for practicing medicine.
He reported that the health indicators show that in the maternity hospitals an average of 10,000 to 12,000 cases of abortion per year are attended, so that they feel that the women run the risk of not being attended under the new scheme of the Law.
Sing recalled that an abortion is a medical condition that requires guidelines and protocols for its treatment, which is to say that the doctors should attend the patients in accordance to the therapeutic formality at the time the emergency arrives.
Under those arguments, the health professionals and owners of private clinics reject the Penal Code, and request President Medina to order a discussion regarding abortion and not to enact the law.
For her part, the President of the Dominican Gynecological-Obstetrics Society, Rocio Caridad, said that the doctors are always in favor of life, both of the woman as well as the baby.
In the meantime, the President of Andeclip, Rafael Mena, pointed out that the Code places health establishments at a disadvantage when they have to face a situation of an abortion.
Previous revision
The Dean of the Judicial Science Faculty of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (U ASD), Antonio Medina Calcaño, suggested that the Penal Code be "thoroughly" revised before the President promulgates it. Interviewed during the "March of the Brides," in the U ASD, he said that the new code has positive aspects and others that should be discussed regarding the impact and consequences which they might bring. Specifically he referred to what was related to abortion, which-he maintained-is practically penalized.
Pedro Sing, the CMD president, speaking for the three entities, said that the article neither establishes nor describes the condition under which doctors and other support personnel as well as health centers should act in the case of the therapeutic abortion.
He said that what is established in the article is an increase of the penalties from 5 to 10 years in jail, which he feels violates women's rights.
He considered that the focus of the Penal Code places the woman in a vulnerable condition and ties up the clinics and doctors by leaving them without any space for practicing medicine.
He reported that the health indicators show that in the maternity hospitals an average of 10,000 to 12,000 cases of abortion per year are attended, so that they feel that the women run the risk of not being attended under the new scheme of the Law.
Sing recalled that an abortion is a medical condition that requires guidelines and protocols for its treatment, which is to say that the doctors should attend the patients in accordance to the therapeutic formality at the time the emergency arrives.
Under those arguments, the health professionals and owners of private clinics reject the Penal Code, and request President Medina to order a discussion regarding abortion and not to enact the law.
For her part, the President of the Dominican Gynecological-Obstetrics Society, Rocio Caridad, said that the doctors are always in favor of life, both of the woman as well as the baby.
In the meantime, the President of Andeclip, Rafael Mena, pointed out that the Code places health establishments at a disadvantage when they have to face a situation of an abortion.
Previous revision
The Dean of the Judicial Science Faculty of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (U ASD), Antonio Medina Calcaño, suggested that the Penal Code be "thoroughly" revised before the President promulgates it. Interviewed during the "March of the Brides," in the U ASD, he said that the new code has positive aspects and others that should be discussed regarding the impact and consequences which they might bring. Specifically he referred to what was related to abortion, which-he maintained-is practically penalized.
Lisania Batista
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