The APC has urgently requested a hearing in Parliament with the Executive Director of the National Health Service (SNS), Fernando Araujo, on the “continuing unacceptable difficulties” in accessing voluntary termination of pregnancy (IVG).
In the same request, issued this Sunday by the Communist Council and written by Representative João Dias, the presence of the President of the Association of Hospital Directors, Xavier Barreto, is also requested.
The PCP notes that the Health Regulatory Authority (ERS) report on access to abortion in the NHS was recently published, which, according to this political force, “presents worrying conclusions from the point of view of continuing unacceptable difficulties and barriers”. “And even a lack of respect for women’s rights regarding IVG.”
“There are at least 15 hospitals that do not guarantee access to this procedure. Some of them do not have an obstetrics and gynecology service, and others do not even provide timely alternative solutions,” the Palestinian Civil Police request said.
The Communist Court then highlighted that it had been concluded that the law “was violated in a large number of units, with deadlines not being respected in at least 20% of applications.”
The PCP still points to the report by the Health Regulatory Authority (ERS), that in 2022 15,616 IVG procedures were performed, with 1,366 cases not occurring due to the statutory deadline being exceeded.
“With regard to procedures, in many cases, whether in hospitals or health centres, there is a lack of them or their inappropriateness, in particular to ensure timely adherence to the deadlines set by law or referral to an authorized body for the IVG procedure,” he warns. .
The Palestinian Communist Party also confirms that 68% of abortions took place in public hospitals, where the medical method was used in 98% of the cases, while in recognized private institutions the surgical method was used in 95% of the cases.
For the communist bench, these data reveal “that the loss of response capacity of the SNS in all areas, especially in gynecology/obstetrics, can only be inextricably linked to difficulties in accessing IVG.”
The Left Bloc requested on Wednesday an urgent hearing in Parliament for Health Minister Manuel Pizarro and the ERS on the obstacles to IVG in the SNS.
The Left Bloc, through Representative Joana Mortagua, then highlighted that the law enshrined a woman’s right to decide on pregnancy and proved to be a “very positive policy” from a public health point of view, “reducing complications and deaths associated with clandestine practices.” .
“Despite all this, the obstacles that social networking services place on access to IVG still exist,” he said. “Obstacles are unacceptable because they call into question access to a right and because they undermine women’s dignity.”
In an interview with RTP, also on Wednesday, the Health Minister said that local health units (ULS) should have the possibility to hold consultations to respond to IVG requests.
“We have to change the organizational model. There is currently no good reason why many health centers cannot provide counseling for voluntary termination of pregnancy,” he stressed.
However, according to Manuel Pizarro, “in the public sector, the vast majority of cases are treated with medications and this does not require hospital intervention.”
“It is a situation where ULS regulation could comfortably allow IVG to be a little decentralized, bringing it closer to the people,” he added.
