Guatemala City, Guatemala, Aug 23, 2007 / 09:05 am
In a document released August 22 which sharply criticizes the anti-life policies of the World Health Organization, the Bishops’ Conference of Guatemala denounced the existence of a veiled pro-abortion campaign that is being portrayed by the Ministry of Health as “post-abortion care.”
“Our Constitution projects human life from the moment of conception,” the bishops note in their document, warning against the danger of the Ministry of Health’s campaign promoting post-abortion care, and including the training of medical and paramedical personnel in the use of suction machines on women who are in a “post-abortion situation.”
“The move from post-abortion care to facilitating an abortion through the use of a suction machine” would be the practical outcome, “even though it would not be an official policy, as it would encourage the use of this method clandestinely in places away from health care facilities that don’t have the minimum standards of hygiene, much less the necessary medical equipment to address complications that may arise,” the bishops said in their statement.
“In addition,” they continued, “trained personnel, if they are unscrupulous, could offer this service especially to teens, which would cause themselves great moral and physical harm.”