Spain's Right to Life urges protection of the sick

Sep 8, 2011 / 11:50 am

The Right to Life organization in Spain has reacted to the death of Ramona Estevez, warning that “any sick person could be treated with the same cruelty.”

Right to Life spokesman Gador Joya said, “This case should make people realize that from now on, any sick person who is unconscious in a hospital emergency room could be faced with a third party deciding whether or not his or her life is worth living,” reported Europa Press.

“From now on, any sick person could be treated with the same cruelty with which Ramona Estevez was treated,” she said.

Estevez, 91, suffered a stroke on July 26 and fell into a deep coma.  Several weeks later the Andalusia Health Department said her family could disconnect her feeding tube.

She died on Sept. 6.

“Those individuals who do not want to be distorted in case they are unable to express themselves should put their wishes in writing so that nobody can manipulate or take advantage of the pain of their family members and friends,” Joya said.

She underscored that although Right to Life did not prevail in its efforts to stop the death of Estevez, the organization “does not consider the legal battle it began on Aug. 26 to be lost.”  Right to Life will continue to fight against the “radical and inhumane agenda that sees the terminally ill as social waste that only deserves to be discarded,” she added.

Joya said that given the “arbitrary and thoughtless nature” of the Andalusia Health Board’s decision to issue a direct order in the case of Estevez, Right to Life is convinced that “unfortunately, the case of Ramona Estevez will not be the last of its kind” and that people should therefore “be very alert.”

Laws recently approved in Spain dealing with end-of-life care are not intended to help and care for the sick, but rather “to eliminate them by withdrawing assistance in feeding, hydration and respiration,” Joya said.