By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director
Safety concerns at Pennsylvania abortion centers are rising as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A check of the Department of Health website shows no abortion facility inspection reports have been posted since Coronavirus swept through Pennsylvania.
Indeed, the last report posted is dated February 12th and shows the Philadelphia Women’s Center failing its inspection. At the time, health officials discovered that the troubled abortion center had not obtained parental consent for some chemical abortions for minor girls.
The facility also had no evidence of a patient safety committee nor an infection control committee. The lack of infection control oversight is especially egregious, considering the Coronavirus crisis that subsequently hit the Keystone State.
Pennsylvania’s Governor had the opportunity to stop abortions during the virus outbreak. In fact, one of the Wolf Administration’s orders during the pandemic suspended elective surgeries statewide.
But Governor Tom Wolf, an outspoken backer of Planned Parenthood, refused to enforce the order on abortion facilities, claiming abortion to be an “essential service.” Despite the entreaties of legislators in both the Pennsylvania House and Senate, the Governor never backed off his radical stand.
The apparent lack of oversight of abortion facilities during the pandemic is worrisome. After all, Pennsylvania gained national notoriety after the discovery of the brutal crimes of abortionist Kermit Gosnell. Gosnell is now serving a life sentence in prison after being convicted of the murders of three newborn babies. The West Philadelphia abortionist was also convicted of causing the death of a female immigrant patient, Karnamaya Mongar.
The health and safety of how many women have been comprised at PA abortion centers during the pandemic? We may never know for sure. But what is apparent is that the Wolf Administration is not serious about abortion center regulation–especially in these troubling times.