Ireland has dropped three doctors of the Galway UniversityHospital from the team that will probe death of Indian dentist SavitaHalappanavar, who died due to pregnancy-related complications after beingdenied abortion.
An announcement in this regard was made by Prime MinisterEnda Kenny in the Parliament barely within hours of unveiling of a seven-memberteam to probe the tragic death.
Savita's husband Praveen Halappanavar had earlier refused totalk to the investigators, saying he would not consent to their viewing hiswife's medical records as three of the Galway hospital's senior doctors werepart of the team.
"The three doctors will not be part of theinvestigation and therefore different personnel who are competent, who are experiencedand who have no connection to Galway University Hospital will beappointed," Kenny said.
Kenny said that the doctors will be replaced by officialswho have "no connection at all" with the Galway hospital to ensurethat the probe remains "utterly independent".
The decision was taken "to have regard for thetraumatic effect on Savita's husband and family and in the greater publicinterest at large", Kenny said, adding that the move, by no way,"impugns the integrity" of the doctors.
He expressed hope that the investigation will be able toascertain the truth, facts and circumstances surrounding the "verytragic" death of Savita.
"A man's wife has died. Nothing will bring her back,But it is important for our country, for our people, for the family, foreverybody concerned to ascertain the truth of what happened here. And thisinvestigation can hopefully do that with the cooperation of MrHalappanavar," Kenny said.
Savita's husband Praveen did not immediately respond to thedecision.
Praveen had previously faulted the Irish probe on the groundthat it was not going to be a public inquiry involving witnesses testifyingunder oath.
In an interview with The Irish Times, he had said he doubtedIreland would have done anything public had he not spoken out.
Praveen said he received no communication from the hospitaland Health Services Executive during the two weeks following his wife's death.
"It is a pity because I thought Ireland would care morefor someone so young who died. That let me down. Maybe Savita was born tochange the laws here," he said.
Probe team's head Sabaratnam Arulkumaran had earlier hopedof a face-to-face meeting with Praveen to persuade him change his mind abouttalking to investigators, as his testimony on his wife's care would be centralto identifying problems.
Savita Halappanavar, 31, died from blood poisoning atUniversity Hospital Galway on October 28 after doctors allegedly refused toperform an abortion stating "this is a Catholic country" where thiswas not permitted.
The case highlighted Ireland's failure to ensureimplementation of the 1992 Supreme Court judgment allowing abortion in caseswhere pregnancy places lives at risk.
The court had found this should be the only exception toIreland's constitutional ban on abortion.
Two years ago, the European Court of Human Rights had alsoruled that Ireland was placing pregnant women in jeopardy by not providing aclear law defining when life-saving abortions can be performed.
The government, however, insists on not presenting anyabortion legislation until probe into Savita's death is completed in February.
It also vowed to block an opposition bill unveiled yesterdayseeking Parliament's immediate approval of the 1992 Supreme Court judgment.
