Fears have been raised over the low number of doctors signed up to offer abortion services in Ireland, after the country voted to overturn its laws restricting access to terminations.
The first week of January marks the rolling out of abortion services provided by Ireland’s health service through GPs, family planning services, maternity units and hospitals across the country, following an “historic” referendum in May last year.
Irish premier Leo Varadkar welcomed the move and said January 1, 2019 would be marked as the day in which “abortion services become legally available in Ireland”.
However, many Irish health groups warned the transition would not be a smooth one, voicing concerns about the January deadline.
Dr Maitiu O’Tuathail, president of the National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP), told BBC News NI just 3-5% of GPs had signed up to deliver abortion services.
“There remains a lot of uncertainty for GPs around the provision of abortion services in Ireland,” he said.
“GPs are being asked to operate without updated Medical Council guidelines, which is problematic.
“The access to ultrasonography is patchy across the country and will remain so for the foreseeable future.”
O’Tuathail also warned that the services and medical back-up that maternity hospitals will be able to provide on a site-by-site basis remains unclear.
He added that “it would have been preferable if these matters had been resolved prior to – and not during – the roll out of abortion services.”
A spokesperson for the Health Executive Service said that details of GPs taking part in providing abortion care will not be published, as agreed by GPs themselves, for fear that they may be targeted by pro-life campaigners, according The Irish Times.
Details are provided directly to people who need them, through the executive’s new My Options helpline.
“We are satisfied that there is already a good geographic spread of GPs taking part, enough to meet the needs of people who may need to access the service,” said the spokesperson.
“Currently 179 GPs have signed the contract and each day more GPs are signing up.”
Abortion is available at nine out of Ireland’s 19 maternity units. It is anticipated that the service will be rolled out across more centres in the future.
On its website, the HSE offers advice on how to get an abortion, stating the pregnancy can be brought to end by taking medication or having a minor surgical procedure.
This would normally take place within 12 weeks of pregnancy, where there is risk to the life or of serious harm of the pregnant person, or where there is a condition which will result in the death of the foetus before or shortly after birth.
It will be provided free of charge, for women who require it.
Orla O’Connor, director of the National Women’s Council, said it was “a historic day – when women in Ireland could finally access abortion at home, in the care of their own doctor.
“It is also very significant in lifting the stigma and shame that so many women experienced for decades unable to speak to family, friends and seek the medical care they needed,” she added.
Dr Ruth Cullen of the Pro-Life Campaign, which campaigned to retain the Eighth Amendment, said New Year’s Day would be remembered “as the day Ireland abandoned authentic human rights, to sanction the direct and intentional killing of innocent human life.
1.4m people voted to repeal the eighth amendment of Ireland’s constitution in May 2018.
Health minister Simon Harris hailed the passing of the legislation as a “new era for Irish women”.