The High Court tonight intervened to save the life of a seriously ill African woman by ordering a Dublin hospital to give her a life-saving blood transfusion.
The 23-year-old Congolese woman, who suffered a major haemorrhage today after giving birth to a healthy baby boy, had refused the treatment on religious grounds because she is a Jehovah’s Witness.
Believed to be the first case of its kind involving an adult in Ireland, the court ruled the Coombe Hospital must put the interests of the child first and save the mother’s life.
Blood?
“[T]he Jehovah’s Witnesses organization prohibits the use of blood transfusions. Individual Jehovah’s Witnesses are expected to die or let their children die, rather than break this command, even though the Scriptures nowhere teach that blood transfusions are wrong.”
– Four Dangers of the Jehovah’s Witness Organization
– Four Dangers of the Jehovah’s Witness Organization
It is understood she had lost 80% of her blood.
A spokesman for the Coombe Hospital confirmed doctors had been ordered to act in the best interests of the mother.