Vigil to remember Savita Halappanavar to take place tonight

A vigil to remember Savita Halappanavar on the ninth anniversary of her death will take place tonight, October 28 at 5:30pm outside the Dáil.

Halappanavar died in 2012 from sepsis after being refused a termination at University Hospital Galway. Her death was a pivotal moment in the struggle for female reproductive rights in Ireland.

"Today, the ninth anniversary of Savita Halappanavar's tragic and unnecessary death, is a poignant reminder of just how important it is to exclude all religious influence and interference in any medical decision making," said Jo Tully, chair of Campaign Against Church Ownership of Women's Healthcare.

"We must #NeverAgain allow religious interference to direct women's healthcare," she added. "Savita's death underlines the importance of why our new National Maternity Hospital must be publicly owned and secular in its ethos."

In a recent statement, the Campaign Against Church Ownership of Women's Healthcare opposed the proposed deals of St. Vincent's Healthcare Group, who want to extend the length of their lease on the National Maternity Hospital and increase the number of "public interest directors" on their board from one to three.

"With good reason, we are strongly opposed to any proposal to co-locate the new National Maternity Hospital on the site of the Catholic-controlled Saint Vincent's Hospital Group (SVHG)," said Ailbhe Smyth, an activist and committee member for the campaign.

"We know from sad experience here in Ireland and globally that Catholic ethics severely limit reproductive healthcare," she added. "State ownership of the land on which a new maternity hospital is built and fully independent governance, free from any religious influence, are fundamental to guaranteeing full reproductive and sexual healthcare rights and services."

The campaign plan to have the vigil to remember Halappanavar's life and make a point about ownership of the National Maternity Hospital tonight, October 28, at 5:30pm at the Dáil.

Read more about the vigil and Campaign Against Church Ownership of Women's Healthcare's statement about the new National Maternity Hospital here.