[Letter to Times >] Sir, – Dr Mark Murphy’s assertion (November 15th) that Savita Halappanavar “ died because my (sic) profession have not been sufficient advocates for women in these situations” is ludicrous. That this poor lady died is indeed a tragedy. We do not yet know the circumstances, and must not pre-judge her medical care. Unfortunately, people die needlessly in Irish hospitals on a regular basis, because we have a substandard health system that is largely under-scrutinised.
Apart from maternal mortality, where Ireland has consistently ranked top of the heap, and is alone among such countries in its prohibition of abortion. The inquiry underway into Savita Halappanavar’s untimely death will reveal whether an early induction of delivery of her 17-week-old baby would have altered the outcome or not. Either way, this would not have been an abortion. To state otherwise, and use her death to campaign for abortion is both ignorant and crude. May she rest in peace. – Yours, etc,
Dr PAUL MacMULLAN
Filed under: Paul MacMullan, System
