Be the first to comment!Community consultation meeting on assisted voluntary euthanasia held in Gozo
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The second community consultation session on assisted voluntary euthanasia was held on Friday in Xewkija, Gozo, attended by a number of people who expressed their views on the document published for public consultation.
People from different sectors gathered to have their say, including those who have experienced the suffering of their relatives who were suffering from a terminal illness.
The session was led by the Parliamentary Secretary for Equality and Reforms, Rebecca Buttigieg, who on behalf of the Government is leading this consultative process with both members of the public and with civil society entities and organisations.
During the meeting, she reiterated the Government’s commitment to continue investing in palliative care. Here, she referred to the strategy for strengthening palliative care that was launched just this year, which document lists the investment that will be made over the next ten years.
The Parliamentary Secretary stressed that the document on assisted voluntary euthanasia makes it clear that palliative care remains the priority, so much so that this document states in black and white that every person with a terminal illness should be offered palliative care and that assisted voluntary euthanasia cannot be offered, the request for which can only be made by the person themselves who has a terminal illness and who meets the established criteria.
Rebecca Buttigieg explained that the Government is not ready to consider models that exist in some countries and therefore has made safeguards so that this option is only for adults.
She added that disability, mental health conditions and old age can never be reasons for a person to request assisted voluntary euthanasia.
Parliamentary Secretary Rebecca Buttigieg said that the Government will continue to listen to all views in this consultative process. She said that through the website facts.gov.mt around 350 submissions have already been received. The consultation will remain open until the 2nd of July.
Photo: DOI
