IN AN EFFORT to prevent mothers from abandoning their newly born children, the Health Ministry has included a clause in the cabinet-tailored draft bill on healthcare and health insurance amendments that would enable women to anonymously give birth to a child in Slovak healthcare facilities.
The Spokesperson for the Healthcare Ministry Mário Mikloši said that this amendment should serve to protect the mother as well as the life and health of the child.
Deputies of the Slovak parliament are expected to decide on Health Ministry amendments as early as September.
The draft bill to cover family issues, prepared by the Justice Ministry in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family should resolve the issue of anonymous births as well.
In February Health Minister Rudolf Zajac declared that he likes the idea of enabling women to give birth to children anonymously, but that he wanted to examine whether this idea can be materialised under the current conditions of Slovakia. According to him, the change would enable women who do not want to keep custody of their children to abandon them legally.
Compiled by Beata Balogová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
