The 83-year-old woman wanted to die. She had been bedridden for years, suffering from pain due to a congenital hip dislocation, which caused her severe physical deterioration. After failing to get her euthanasia approved, she threw herself off the balcony of her home.
Elderly woman who was denied euthanasia threw herself off a balcony
Spain passed the Organic Law for the Regulation of Euthanasia in March. A few days after its entry into force, in June, Emilia unsuccessfully claimed her right to euthanasia.
She did so again on three other occasions and was always ignored. On Saturday, overcome by the situation, she threw herself off the balcony of her home.
The Right to Die with Dignity Association (DMD), of which Emilia was a member, denounces that both her family doctor and other people in charge of the health center “ignored the required procedures” and did not even process her request.
From the association they demand that the autonomous communities, which have the health competencies, establish procedures and create bodies to ensure that the law is complied with.
“Improve procedures”
In reference to Emilia, the Regional Minister of Health of the Government of Aragon, Sira Repollés, told the press this Tuesday that there was a delay in the start of the procedures, because the elderly woman’s family doctor declared himself an objector and was not replaced.
Repollés assured that “a series of mechanisms have been established to control this situation” and that, in the specific case of Emilia, “responsibilities have been clarified” to those who did not know how to “carry out the procedures in due time and form”.
“We have already established a series of mechanisms to control this type of situation. We will improve the procedures so that it does not happen again,” he added.
The new legislation establishes that the right to euthanasia may be exercised by any person of legal age residing in Spain who suffers from “a serious and incurable” or “chronic and disabling” illness that causes “constant and intolerable” suffering
