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prochoice_marylandWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Warsaw's mayor said Wednesday she fired the head of a maternity hospital who refused to perform or facilitate an abortion of a badly deformed fetus for reasons of conscience.
The case — which saw the recently delivered baby put under intensive care with major brain and skull deformity — has stirred wide debate in Polish media, raising questions about the boundaries of faith in public life in a country that is traditionally Catholic but increasingly becoming secular.
Mayor Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz said she fired obstetrician Bogdan Chazan, a declared Catholic, over the case. She said a review showed that Chazan refused to perform an abortion toward the end of the legally-allowed period and failed to advise the woman on where an abortion was available and on the approaching deadline.
Warsaw's Roman Catholic Archbishop, Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, said that the sacking of Chazan amounted to a "dangerous precedent that hurt the rights not only of the Catholics, but of all people."
It was not clear why the couple had not sought abortion at a different hospital or why they waited so long before making a decision.
Pregnancies in Poland can be terminated before the 24th week if the fetus is in seriously poor health. A doctor can refuse for reasons of conscience, but has a legal obligation to direct the patient to another doctor.
Warsaw's Roman Catholic Archbishop, Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, said that the sacking of Chazan amounted to a "dangerous precedent that hurt the rights not only of the Catholics, but of all people."
The guy didn't get fired because he flat out refused doing the abortion, Mr. Nycz. He got fired because he failed to do a legal obligation of directing the patient to another doctor, who was probably more willing to help them out. However, the rights of those who are religious shouldn't always trumph the rights of other people, especially if their life is in danger. Should the rights of a person who needs a blood transfusion, for example, be trumph because a JW doctor has an issue with blood transfusions? Should the rights of a woman who needs an abortion to save her life (i.e ectopic pregnancy) be trumph because a doctor of faith (or no faith since atheists can be against abortion too) has a moral issue with abortion?
If a doctor cannot do their job, regardless the reason why they don't want to carry out a particular procedure, they should find someone else to do their job. If they can't do that, they shouldn't be in medicine then.
The case — which saw the recently delivered baby put under intensive care with major brain and skull deformity — has stirred wide debate in Polish media, raising questions about the boundaries of faith in public life in a country that is traditionally Catholic but increasingly becoming secular.
Mayor Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz said she fired obstetrician Bogdan Chazan, a declared Catholic, over the case. She said a review showed that Chazan refused to perform an abortion toward the end of the legally-allowed period and failed to advise the woman on where an abortion was available and on the approaching deadline.
Warsaw's Roman Catholic Archbishop, Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, said that the sacking of Chazan amounted to a "dangerous precedent that hurt the rights not only of the Catholics, but of all people."
It was not clear why the couple had not sought abortion at a different hospital or why they waited so long before making a decision.
Pregnancies in Poland can be terminated before the 24th week if the fetus is in seriously poor health. A doctor can refuse for reasons of conscience, but has a legal obligation to direct the patient to another doctor.
Warsaw's Roman Catholic Archbishop, Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, said that the sacking of Chazan amounted to a "dangerous precedent that hurt the rights not only of the Catholics, but of all people."
The guy didn't get fired because he flat out refused doing the abortion, Mr. Nycz. He got fired because he failed to do a legal obligation of directing the patient to another doctor, who was probably more willing to help them out. However, the rights of those who are religious shouldn't always trumph the rights of other people, especially if their life is in danger. Should the rights of a person who needs a blood transfusion, for example, be trumph because a JW doctor has an issue with blood transfusions? Should the rights of a woman who needs an abortion to save her life (i.e ectopic pregnancy) be trumph because a doctor of faith (or no faith since atheists can be against abortion too) has a moral issue with abortion?
If a doctor cannot do their job, regardless the reason why they don't want to carry out a particular procedure, they should find someone else to do their job. If they can't do that, they shouldn't be in medicine then.
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