Abortion legislation amendments to be tabled in the House in the coming days

The government will be tabling amendments to Malta’s abortion law in the coming days, Health Minister Chris Fearne has said.

“I want to make sure that no part of our legislation prevents doctors or medical professionals from saving lives,” he told journalists on Thursday.

Fearne was speaking during a press conference announcing an annual vaccination programme for both the influenza season, as well as the COVID variant.

He said amendments are currently being discussed internally, and will be presented to the House in the coming parliamentary sessions.

The Health Minister ruled out a parliamentary debate on the introduction of abortion in the House.

A review to abortion legislation in the country was ordered last June, after American tourist Andrea Prudente had to be airlifted to Spain to recieve a termination of an unviable preganancy. 

Prudente broke her waters at 16 weeks and although doctors at Mater Dei Hospital told her the pregnancy was not viable they could not carry out an abortion because the foetus still had a heartbeat. Prudente was being treated with antibiotics to minimise the risk of contracting sepsis, a blood infection, that could have put her life in danger.

Fearne said that discussions have been held with specialists, who are one of the main stakeholders in the area, because they will be among the most affected by legal changes.

READ ALSO: After abortion legislation review, government to present changes in parliament