The long-awaited internal report into the death of Indian dentist Savita Halappanavar in Ireland is likely to be published soon, with her husband agreeing to allow his lawyer to meet the head of a health service investigation this week.
Praveen Halappanavar had postponed the meeting with Prof Sabaratnam Arulkmaran until after the inquest into Savita’s death, which concluded last month that she died of medical misadventure. His lawyer, Gerard O’Donnell and his friend, CVR Prasad, a hospital consultant, will meet Prof Arulkumaran in Galway city on Wednesday.
Praveen decided not to attend the meeting himself. According to the ‘Irish Independent’, they are expected to make detailed submissions, based on evidence that emerged over the course of the eight-day inquest in Galway last month.
Savita, 31, died at Galway University Hospital on October 28 last year after she miscarried her baby at 17 weeks. The inquest was told of a litany of systems and communications failures and how the medical team missed the early signs of blood poisoning that eventually killed her. It also heard how her 2 requests for a termination were refused because her life was not at risk, in accordance with stringent anti-abortion laws in Ireland. PTI
The government has since agreed a draft bill to clarify the country’s
complex abortion laws.
Prof Arulkumaran, a london-based obstetrician, was commissioned
by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to chair a clinical review
of Savita’s death.
Praveen had initially refused to co-operate, instead calling for
an independent public inquiry. He was further upset when a draft
of Prof Arulkumaran’s findings was leaked to the media.
The draft report found there was an over-emphasis on the welfare
of the foetus and an under-emphasis on Savita’s deteriorating health.
One of the issues at the meeting will focus on whether any issues
have emerged between evidence given at the inquest into Savita’s
death and the HSE investigation. PTI AK AKJ DDC
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