Little Rock, Ark., Apr 16, 2020 / 18:00 pm
Health authorities have said an emergency ban on elective abortions in Arkansas was necessary to limit the number of women traveling from other states, and possibly bringing the coronavirus with them.
Though the fate of the ban is now in the federal courts, one observer said that the state's abortion clinic appears to be making the state an "abortion destination" attracting women from out-of-state.
"If the Arkansas Department of Health and the governor's office have found that a ban on elective surgeries is needed to protect public health during this pandemic, then this decision should be respected and followed by surgical providers, including this abortion provider," Catherine Phillips of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Little Rock's Respect Life Office told CNA April 16.
"What is particularly troubling in this situation is the apparent increase in the number of abortions in the past three weeks as well as the apparent increase in the number of women who are traveling to Little Rock Family Planning Services from out of state, especially Texas and Louisiana, during this national health emergency," she said.