NEW ORLEANS – Since last Tuesday, the state's largest abortion facility, June Medical Services (dba Hope Medical Group for Women)
located in Shreveport, has been openly defying orders issued by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) to postpone all medical and surgical procedures unless the procedures are to treat an "emergency medical condition," as defined in the LDH's
healthcare facility guidelines. June Medical Services is the same abortion facility at the center of the
June Medical Services v. Russo Supreme Court case.
Local eyewitnesses have seen busy parking lots every day for the past week. Just today, (Monday, March 30), they reported that at least 21 women and their guests entered the facility before 12:45 p.m.
While June Medical Services remains open, Louisiana's other two outpatient abortion facilities, Delta Clinic of Baton Rouge and Women's Health Care Center in New Orleans, have complied with the order and closed their doors.
Attorney General Jeff Landry
issued a statement agreeing with Louisiana Right to Life that the LDH order covers abortion facilities.
In his statement, Attorney General Landry said, "While healthcare workers actually treating coronavirus patients are experiencing severe shortages of personal protective equipment, June Medical is irresponsibly still operating business – dangerously putting countless people at further risk. Not only should June Medical and all of Louisiana's abortion providers comply with the public safety order, but they should also follow the generous lead of other medical facilities and donate their supplies to local hospitals who are in desperate need."
Amanda Nottingham, North Louisiana Director of Louisiana Right to Life, said, "Even in the face of Gov. Edwards' remarks that Northwest Louisiana is of great concern in the fight against the coronavirus, June Medical Services continues to endanger the public by remaining open. For the sake of the health and safety of my fellow citizens in Northwest Louisiana, I urge June Medical Services to join the other abortion facilities and health facilities across our community to close and fight the coronavirus."
Benjamin Clapper, Executive Director of Louisiana Right to Life, added, "June Medical Services, once again, is putting profits ahead of the public health. Elective abortion is not a medical emergency. Pregnancy is not a disease. But the coronavirus is. Every day June Medical is open, it is hurting Louisiana's fight against the coronavirus. June Medical should not have special exemptions from health standards that apply across the board to all surgical procedures."
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