We are not touching the core issue – how to care
“In our country, we are all the time talking theoretically about whether there is a right to live or die, whether euthanasia should be allowed, is it socially acceptable, is it right by the person. We are not touching the core issue, which is, how to care for those people who are facing incurable or terminal illnesses.” These are the words of Dr Raj Kumar Mani, CEO (Medical) Nayati Healthcare and Chairman, Critical Care & Pulmonology. Dr Mani was the author of the first ethical guidelines on End of Life Care in India, prepared on behalf of the Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine in 2005.
In an article titled It’s Our Dignity-in-Death Moment, published in the Open Magazine on November 10, 2017, Madhavankutty Pillai explains why India must legalise Living Wills and remove the confusion over euthanasia and End Of Life Care.
At present, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court is hearing a public interest litigation filed by the NGO Common Cause on legalising Living Wills – advance directives by a person on what to do about pulling the plug should he be kept alive on artificial support and unable to communicate his desire to die. The Constitution Bench is also going to clarify the legal position on the right to die. In court, the Government argued that it had a draft bill on passive euthanasia ready but it was still not okay with Living Wills.
This informative article throws light on many sides of the issue. Please read: http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/society/its-our-dignity-in-death-moment
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