Martha Sepúlveda will have her euthanasia
The assisted death of the Colombian, scheduled for October 10, had been canceled, however, a Medellín judge recently ordered the clinic to perform the procedure that will end Sepúlveda's life and suffering.
Dreams do come true, including dreams of death, as in the case of Martha Sepúlveda, a 51-year-old Colombian woman who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), an incurable and degenerative disease that causes a lot of pain to those who suffers from it.
Sepúlveda was happy a few weeks ago, since assisted death would be practiced, which would end her pain. Even their relatives were pleased with the fact, as they had been suffering the onslaught of the disease together with the woman.
Euthanasia was scheduled for October 10, however, the Colombian Pain Institute (Incodol), where the procedure would be performed, decided to suspend it 36 hours before it was carried out, because they determined that the case did not meet the criteria for put an end to Sepúlveda's life, as the committee that first evaluated the case had considered.
Who must die?
The decision generated a wide debate in Colombia about the option of assisted death, after the Latin American country is one of the few where this method is allowed, since euthanasia was decriminalized in 1997, and became law in 2015.
To date, according to the Colombian authorities, 157 procedures have been carried out to date.
For their part, Martha's lawyers initiated the corresponding procedure and alleged that the decision to cancel the assisted death of their client was "illegitimate, illegal and arbitrary", while accusing those responsible for violating this woman's right to have a dignified death.
The controversy in Martha's case is that she does not suffer from a terminal illness, her pathology is degenerative, at least that is what the Colombian Ministry of Health made known.
They approve assisted death
Despite this, Sepúlveda, his family and lawyers, carried out the corresponding procedures, and managed to get a judge to order Incodol this Wednesday to euthanize the Colombian woman.
In the text, it can be read that the 20th court of Medellín indicates that Incodol "has violated Mrs. Martha Liria Sepúlveda Campo", for which he ordered her to "comply with the provisions of the Interdisciplinary Scientific Committee to die with dignity, in the minutes issued on last August 6 of this year, "where they made it clear that Martha met the necessary requirements to "exercise her right to die with dignity through euthanasia".
According to the document, the clinic has 48 hours to agree with Sepúlveda on the day and time when the euthanasia will take place. In addition, it gives three days for the ruling to be challenged.
Euthanasia is practiced in 7 countries
Worldwide, only in 7 countries is euthanasia practiced legally. Get to know them:
1. Colombia. It decriminalized euthanasia in 1997, only in cases of terminal illness. However, it wasn't until 2015 that it became law. Until then, 157 assisted deaths have been carried out.
2. Netherlands. In April 2002, it approved active euthanasia, and became the first place in the world to allow this procedure by law. They currently have plans to practice assisted death for children under 12 years of age.
3. Belgium. This country followed in the footsteps of the Netherlands, and in May 2002 they approved euthanasia and assisted suicide. In addition to this, it was the first nation to allow a minor to die through this method.
4. Luxembourg. In March 2009, Parliament legalized assisted death. Since then, terminally ill people can request euthanasia after being evaluated and approved by two doctors and a panel of experts.
5. Canada. In this country in the north of the American continent, euthanasia was approved in June 2016 under the name "medical assistance to die." Among the requirements to be a candidate for this procedure are: request the method 10 days before being practiced, have two independent witnesses and the approval of two doctors, who must confirm that the disease has no cure.
6. New Zealand. Although it has been one of the last to approve euthanasia, it was the first country in the world to hold a referendum to ask its citizens if they agree with assisted death. The electoral process took place in 2020, when there were general elections.
To be euthanized in this country, the patient needs the approval of two doctors, and be over 18 years of age.
7. Spain. In March of this year, Spain debated the issue in Parliament, and with 202 votes in favor and 141 against, plus two abstentions, it approved the euthanasia of people with terminal illnesses that cause them intolerable suffering.
Assisted suicide is permitted in other countries around the world, such as Switzerland, the Australian state of Victoria, Germany, and in the US states of California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington and the District of Columbia through medications that end the life of the patient.
