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| Savita Halappanavar's widower condemns 'barbaric and inhuman care' | Savita Halappanavar's widower condemns 'barbaric and inhuman care' |
| (21 days later) | |
| The widower of Savita Halappanavar – the 31-year-old dentist who has become an international symbol for those opposed to Ireland's strict anti-abortion laws – has condemned the "barbaric and inhuman care" she received in hospital, as an inquest ruled that she had died from medical misadventure. | The widower of Savita Halappanavar – the 31-year-old dentist who has become an international symbol for those opposed to Ireland's strict anti-abortion laws – has condemned the "barbaric and inhuman care" she received in hospital, as an inquest ruled that she had died from medical misadventure. |
| The jury returned its verdict – on the day Savita and Praveen Halappanavar should have been celebrating their wedding anniversary. The Indian couple married five years ago. | The jury returned its verdict – on the day Savita and Praveen Halappanavar should have been celebrating their wedding anniversary. The Indian couple married five years ago. |
| Praveen Halappanavar said after the verdict that he had yet to find out properly why his wife had died. He said he had pleaded with medical staff at Galway university hospital for his wife to be given an emergency termination to save her life. She died in October last year of septic shock and E coli in her bloodstream after a miscarriage. | Praveen Halappanavar said after the verdict that he had yet to find out properly why his wife had died. He said he had pleaded with medical staff at Galway university hospital for his wife to be given an emergency termination to save her life. She died in October last year of septic shock and E coli in her bloodstream after a miscarriage. |
| The coroner said the verdict did not imply that failings in systems at the hospital caused her death. However, speaking outside the inquest, Praveen Halappanavar said: "The care she received was no different from if she had stayed at home … She was just left there to die." | The coroner said the verdict did not imply that failings in systems at the hospital caused her death. However, speaking outside the inquest, Praveen Halappanavar said: "The care she received was no different from if she had stayed at home … She was just left there to die." |
| Savita Halappanavar was 17 weeks pregnant when she died following the miscarriage. Her husband claimed the couple had been informed she could not be given the termination they believed would save her life "because this is a Catholic country". Midwife Anna Maria Burke apologised at the inquest for her words. | Savita Halappanavar was 17 weeks pregnant when she died following the miscarriage. Her husband claimed the couple had been informed she could not be given the termination they believed would save her life "because this is a Catholic country". Midwife Anna Maria Burke apologised at the inquest for her words. |
| Halappanavar's plight became the focus of an international outcry against Ireland's strict anti-abortion laws, which the Fine Gael-Labour coalition in Dublin has promised to reform. The proposed legislation is likely to include changing and clarifying the law to allow doctors to carry out emergency abortions. In the republic, there has to be a "real and substantial" risk to the mother's life before obstetricians can intervene, but there are no clear guidelines on measuring that risk to help them decide. | Halappanavar's plight became the focus of an international outcry against Ireland's strict anti-abortion laws, which the Fine Gael-Labour coalition in Dublin has promised to reform. The proposed legislation is likely to include changing and clarifying the law to allow doctors to carry out emergency abortions. In the republic, there has to be a "real and substantial" risk to the mother's life before obstetricians can intervene, but there are no clear guidelines on measuring that risk to help them decide. |
| At Galway county hall on Friday, the jury endorsed all nine recommendations of the coroner, Dr Ciaran MacLoughlin, including that the Irish Medical Council should lay out exactly when doctors can intervene with a termination to save the life of the woman. MacLoughlin had said this would provide clarity for patients and doctors. | At Galway county hall on Friday, the jury endorsed all nine recommendations of the coroner, Dr Ciaran MacLoughlin, including that the Irish Medical Council should lay out exactly when doctors can intervene with a termination to save the life of the woman. MacLoughlin had said this would provide clarity for patients and doctors. |
| The jury also endorsed recommendations that blood samples should always be followed up to ensure errors do not occur; that proper sepsis management training and guidelines are available for hospital staff; and that there is effective communication between staff on call and those coming on duty in hospitals. | The jury also endorsed recommendations that blood samples should always be followed up to ensure errors do not occur; that proper sepsis management training and guidelines are available for hospital staff; and that there is effective communication between staff on call and those coming on duty in hospitals. |
| Dr MacLoughlin had recommended that a dedicated time should be set aside at the end of each shift for this to happen. He had also recommended that modified early warning score charts are introduced in all hospitals as soon as possible; and that there is effective communication between patients and relatives to ensure they are fully aware of treatment plans. | Dr MacLoughlin had recommended that a dedicated time should be set aside at the end of each shift for this to happen. He had also recommended that modified early warning score charts are introduced in all hospitals as soon as possible; and that there is effective communication between patients and relatives to ensure they are fully aware of treatment plans. |
| The final two recommendations are that medical and nursing notes are kept separately and that no additions are made to notes where the death of a person will be subject to an inquest. | The final two recommendations are that medical and nursing notes are kept separately and that no additions are made to notes where the death of a person will be subject to an inquest. |
| Offering his condolences to Praveen Halappanavar, MacLoughlin said: "You showed tremendous loyalty and love to your wife … You will also be watched over and protected by the shadow of Savita, who was in our thoughts during this painful and difficult journey." | Offering his condolences to Praveen Halappanavar, MacLoughlin said: "You showed tremendous loyalty and love to your wife … You will also be watched over and protected by the shadow of Savita, who was in our thoughts during this painful and difficult journey." |
| The chief operating officer at the Galway Roscommon Hospital Group has acknowledged that there were lapses in the standards of care provided to Halappanavar. Speaking after the inquest, Tony Canavan said the deficiencies identified during the inquest would be rectified by the hospital and that all recommendations made by the coroner would be taken on board. | The chief operating officer at the Galway Roscommon Hospital Group has acknowledged that there were lapses in the standards of care provided to Halappanavar. Speaking after the inquest, Tony Canavan said the deficiencies identified during the inquest would be rectified by the hospital and that all recommendations made by the coroner would be taken on board. |
| In an interview with the Guardian, midway through what were often harrowing proceedings inside the Galway court house, Praveen Halappanavar said: "Savita loved the limelight; she enjoyed the attention. And it's all for her, and maybe something out of this will be for good in the long run." | In an interview with the Guardian, midway through what were often harrowing proceedings inside the Galway court house, Praveen Halappanavar said: "Savita loved the limelight; she enjoyed the attention. And it's all for her, and maybe something out of this will be for good in the long run." |
| He said his wife loved living in the fashionable west of Ireland city of Galway, and had an eclectic range of friends. She had started classes in 2010 for local children, teaching them to dance. | He said his wife loved living in the fashionable west of Ireland city of Galway, and had an eclectic range of friends. She had started classes in 2010 for local children, teaching them to dance. |
| Her death may have left a lasting legacy for the country the couple settled in, given that it has precipitated momentum towards relaxing access to abortion in Irish hospitals. | Her death may have left a lasting legacy for the country the couple settled in, given that it has precipitated momentum towards relaxing access to abortion in Irish hospitals. |
| But for Praveen Halappanavar the future is uncertain, as he is unsure whether to stay in the state where his wife was so lethally let down. | But for Praveen Halappanavar the future is uncertain, as he is unsure whether to stay in the state where his wife was so lethally let down. |
| After the jury's verdict, Praveen Halappanavar vowed to continue to seek answers and insisted that someone should be held accountable. | After the jury's verdict, Praveen Halappanavar vowed to continue to seek answers and insisted that someone should be held accountable. |
| He said: "They could have intervened from day one because they knew the foetus wasn't viable." | He said: "They could have intervened from day one because they knew the foetus wasn't viable." |
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