Legislation paving the way for registered nurses who have undergone prescribed training to perform abortions, was approved in the National Assembly on Thursday, despite the objections of several opposition parties.
Democratic Alliance MP Ryan Coetzee said it was DA policy to allow its members to determine their own position on matters of conscience, including abortion.
"We understand and respect the fact that men and women of good intention may disagree on certain controversial issues, whether on grounds of religion or ethics. Consequently, each of our members here today will exercise a 'free vote' on this bill."
Coetzee said many DA MPs, on both sides of the abortion debate, believed the bill "makes for very bad law".
Continues Below ↓
Those who opposed it were concerned that allowing already overburdened and under qualified nurses to perform abortions would increase the risk to pregnant women, and that doctors and nurses who opposed abortion would be put under still greater pressure to participate in abortion procedures against their will.
"The truth is that the public health sector simply does not have the capacity to provide quality healthcare to the people of our country. This bill exposes that fact dramatically," he said.
Parties opposing the bill included the African Christian Democratic Party, the United Christian Democratic Party, and the Freedom Front Plus.
In a division at the end of the brief debate, only 52 MPs voted against the measure, while 15 more abstained.
The bill now goes to the National Council of Provinces for concurrence. - Sapa
|
StumbleUpon
Reddit
Digg
Delicious
Newsvine
Facebook
muti
Twitter
