CNN reports that because of a new law in Mississippi, Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the only clinic to perform abortions in the state may soon have to close:
Clinic owners are in a fight to save the only abortion clinic operating in the state of Mississippi. New state requirements may close their doors forever, making Mississippi the first abortion-free state.
“I want to say over my dead body, but I’m afraid,” said clinic owner and president Diane Derzis.
“We’re going to do whatever it takes to keep servicing the women of Mississippi,” she said.
A state law that takes effect Sunday requires all of a clinic’s abortion providers to be certified OB/GYN’s, and all of them must have privileges at a local hospital.
You would think that pro-abortion advocates who claim to be pro-woman would be in favor of this type of law right? I mean wouldn’t they want to make sure that you have a certified OB/GYN doing the procedure and if something went wrong would it not make sense for them to be able to do a follow-up at the local hospital? A “women’s health organization” should be all over this you would think. If they took women’s health seriously you’d think they would have already been operating under these standards.
But this clinic operates with only out-of-state doctors and only one has local hospital privileges. I think they fact they can’t find a local OB/GYN to provide abortion services is pretty telling. They have until Monday to comply.
The Mississippi Department of Health says it will inspect the clinic on Monday for compliance. If the clinic cannot meet the new state law requirements, then it will have the right to appeal and begin an administrative process that could take several months. But, Derzis says, employees would be subject to arrest and fines of up to $2,000 a day if the clinic stays open. So, it would essentially be forced to close.
Monday will definitely be a historic day in Mississippi if the clinic closes. I’ll be praying that it does.
