The Hospital Employees’ Union is alarmed at yesterday’s stabbing of abortion provider Dr. Garson Romalis as he arrived at work, but says that it is not just the doctors who are in peril.
“We are shocked and dismayed at the attack suffered by Dr. Romalis at the very entrance of his workplace,” says assistant secretary-business manager Zorica Bosancic.
HEU is also extremely concerned about other workers who are part of the health care teams that provide abortion services for women. Staff at the Everywoman’s Health Centre in Vancouver, where HEU represents health care workers, called police only an hour before Romalis was stabbed.
Standing on a neighbour’s lawn, protesters were aggressively harassing women as they entered the clinic.
“We are disturbed that fanatics are endangering the safety and well-being, not only of vulnerable women who are seeking help, but of the health care providers that are delivering that help,” says Bosancic.
HEU calls upon all members of the government — including the opposition — to publicly defend women’s rights to choose legal health care services and also to defend the safety of all health care workers and patients by providing security at the clinics until the perpetrators are caught.