Hospital Staff refuse to assist in killing unborn children

Staff refuse to assist in killing unborn 

children - Right to Life

• Print

Two further technicians have advised the management at the Christchurch Public Hospital that they are no longer prepared to assist in the killing of unborn children. It was their duty to prepare instruments used for terminating the lives of the unborn. This courageous action follows the recent refusal of a technician at the Christchurch Public Hospital to assist in preparing instruments for the performance of abortions.

These three technicians are opposed to the killing of the innocent and refuse to assist in the killing of the unborn on the grounds that it is contrary to their conscience. They have only recently learnt of their right to refuse to assist in abortions by the example of their colleague.

Right to Life commends these courageous women for refusing to assist in abortions and calls upon doctors, nurses and other staff in the public health service to follow their informed conscience and refuse to perform or assist in the killing of the unborn. They should then seek the protection provided for their conscience by Parliament in section 46 of the Contraception Sterilisation and Abortion Act.

It is always wrong to kill the innocent and there is no place in the public health service for the killing of defenceless and helpless unborn children. Public Hospitals should be places that promote a culture of life, providing healing and protection for human life from conception to natural death. The performance of abortions is not a health service, it is a cancer in the health service that if not removed will ultimately destroy our public health service. Our women and their unborn deserve better than death for their child provided as a "service".

The courageous action taken by these three technicians raises serious questions about the protection of the statutory conscience rights of employees of the public health service. It is believed that there are many persons employed by District Health Boards throughout New Zealand who are opposed to assisting in or the performing of abortions and have not been advised of their statutory right to refuse to perform or assist in abortions.

Right to Life requests that all District Health Boards ensure that all employees are advised in writing at the commencement of their employment of their statutory right to refuse to perform or assist in abortions.