The Chamber of Deputies’ health and social security committee tackled the issue of birthing centres on Wednesday, as the health minister expressed plans to establish a legal framework.
Former minister of health Paulette Lenert consulted with the midwives association while in her previous post, charging the Scientific Council with conducting analysis and establishing a method of supervising all births in and out of hospitals. However, nothing has progressed since this report was requested over a year ago, says the LSAP MP.
“I requested this report in January last year and I myself was impatiently awaiting the results,” Lenert said. “I think the new health minister is also keen to receive the analysis, I expect she will submit a new request. Currently, there are guidelines for non-hospital births abroad, but we have nothing of the sort in Luxembourg. We want to do this correctly. That was the consensus we reached with the midwives association, so it is important we have guidelines to regulate these births.
New health minister, Martine Deprez of the CSV, has said she will wait for the Council’s report, as provided by the coalition agreement.
“We have issued a reminder,” she said. “As soon as we have this report we will prepare a draft law. I plan to take charge of this myself once I have spoken to all parties involved, because I do not trust the discussions which have already taken place.”
When questioned, the Council said it only meets up to five times a year and is therefore still working on the report. It is unlikely the report will be published before the end of June.Further reading:
Birth House Luxembourg - Demand for private birth centre exists, lacks legal framework
Birth centre in Bertrange - Private facility not allowed to operate, says Paulette Lenert
