{"id":291459,"date":"2023-11-10T06:54:44","date_gmt":"2023-11-10T11:54:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/?p=291459"},"modified":"2023-11-10T06:54:44","modified_gmt":"2023-11-10T11:54:44","slug":"new-public-health-law-wont-include-euthanasia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oncubanews.com\/en\/cuba\/science-cuba\/health-in-cuba\/new-public-health-law-wont-include-euthanasia\/","title":{"rendered":"New Public Health Law won\u2019t include euthanasia"},"content":{"rendered":"

The practice of <\/span>euthanasia\u00a0as a technique to ensure a dignified death will not be included in the new <\/span>Public Health Law<\/b><\/a>, as emerged in a debate on the draft of the law carried out among the sector\u2019s professionals in Cuba.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to a <\/span>report<\/b><\/a>\u00a0of the exchange published by the <\/span>Cubadebate<\/span><\/i> website, everything related to this method would be addressed \u201cat a later time\u201d and would be legislated \u201cwhen the conditions are created for it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/MINSAPCuba\/status\/1720929075416441227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1720929075416441227%7Ctwgr%5Efefe07b2dac6d84024f40fc5c18ccb32c0953135%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Foncubanews.com%2Fcuba%2Fnueva-ley-de-salud-publica-no-incluira-la-practica-de-la-eutanasia%2F<\/p>\n

The first version of the draft, presented last December to the deputies of the National Assembly of People\u2019s Power (ANPP), included this possibility, but then Cuban Minister of Public Health Dr. Jos\u00e9 \u00c1ngel Portal Miranda <\/span>pointed out<\/b><\/a>\u00a0that for its implementation a higher-ranking legal provision was required<\/span><\/p>\n

Commenting on the change in perspective, Dagmara Cejas Bernet, legal director of the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP), explained that the bill tasks the ministry with advising authorities to define \u201cwhen would be the optimal and appropriate time to address life-ending techniques.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She added that guidelines for these techniques will be established in the future, \u201cconsidering legal, health and ethical regulations, as well as a health context, trained health personnel and established protocols.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She also announced that at that time the postulates that would support the evaluation of a request of this type will be recognized, which in addition to the person\u2019s request, will require a mechanism to ensure that they have the necessary foundations to access this situation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jos\u00e9 Luis Toledo Santander, president of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Commission of the ANPP, stressed the importance of this debate exercise on the bill, since \u201cthere is a valuable set of knowledge and experiences that can be very useful to improve the proposal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The media highlighted that a dignified death is an inalienable right recognized in Article 40 of the Constitution of the Republic of Cuba endorsed in 2019, which establishes that human dignity is a supreme value that must be preserved at all times, even after death.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the jurist, this concept has undergone transformations since its inception, initially focusing on the recognition of the right to ignorance. It was later realized that it was limited and was expanded to include other situations related to end-of-life care.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the opinion of Cejas Bernet, the proposal under discussion seeks first of all to recognize the right to a dignified death.<\/span><\/p>\n

Furthermore, \u201cthe different health situations are addressed and the responses that the system must provide in each case are established, avoiding, for example, therapeutic cruelty…the bill focuses on the organization of end-of-life care,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some novelties<\/b><\/p>\n

Although the regulatory proposal ratifies the constitutionally endorsed universal and free access to people\u2019s health services, it recognizes new rights, services and updates the principles of organization and operation of the island\u2019s National Health System.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the debate on the bill, sector specialists highlighted the importance of updating Law 41 since 1983 to guarantee constitutional compliance, <\/span>Cubadebate<\/span><\/i> noted.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the media, the proposal incorporates more than 40 articles focused fundamentally on non-discrimination in health services, the recognition of human dignity as a supreme value and the responsibilities of the State in the provision of care, protection and recovery services, \u201ca concept that is incorporated for the first time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It also specifies that its articles integrate relevant aspects of the recently approved Family Code, such as solidarity pregnancy and recognition of the best interests of children and teenagers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe regulations ratify the people\u2019s right to free health care and establish the rights and duties of people, as well as obligations for users of health services,\u201d said Cejas Bernet.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Ya est\u00e1 disponible el anteproyecto de la nueva Ley de Salud P\u00fablica en #Cuba<\/a>. Es una propuesta legislativa necesaria que ratifica el acceso universal y gratuito a los servicios de salud, un derecho fundamental para todas las personas. #CubaPorLaVida<\/a>https:\/\/t.co\/1joBMcHkvm<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/8JkyXQHc1w<\/a><\/p>\n

— Jos\u00e9 Angel Portal Miranda (@japortalmiranda) November 4, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n