Karibasamma sees hope in Supreme Court verdict on Euthanasia *Odeal D'Souza * *March 8, 2011*
The first euthanasia petitioner in Karnataka, Karibasamma, 70, sees hope in Monday’s verdict of the Supreme Court, allowing what has come to be termed ‘passive euthanasia,’ the withdrawal of life support to patients in a permanently vegetative state (PVS). The verdict, however, rejected outright ‘active euthanasia’ or ending life through the administration of lethal substances, and turned down the plea to allow Aruna Shanbaug, who has been in a vegetative state for 37 years, to die. Karibasamma’s mercy killing case will come up for hearing this Friday in the Karnataka high court. The seventy-year-old has been suffering for a decade from a painful condition, disc prolapse, commonly called ‘slip disc’. A retired teacher with no family members caring for her, Karibasamma has been living in an old age home in Davanagere. Frustrated and suffering acute pain, Karibasamma filed a plea seeking mercy killing in the high court. Talking to *DNA *on Monday, Karibasamma said she felt hopeful after learning of the verdict in the Supreme Court in the case related to Aruna Shanbaug. She added that she did not need her family’s consent to end her life. “I suffer the pain, not my family,” she said, hoping that the panel of doctors to be constituted would support her. Advocate Pramila Nesargi, who has been arguing Karibasamma’s case, said, “I will bring to the notice of the judge the orders of the Supreme Court, and seek the constitution of a panel of doctors.” Nesargi said that the panel would serve as a permanent committee, and the first case it would look into would be Karibasamma’s. In the last hearing of this case in September 2010, the high court directed the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans) to give free treatment to Karibasamma for four weeks and submit a report. The Nimhans report suggested that Karibasamma undergo an operation. “In the wake of the Supreme Court’s verdict, those reports will hold no value,” Nesargi said. http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_karibasamma-sees-hope-in-supreme-court-verdict-on-euthanasia_1517061-all -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mental Health Advocacy (News 'N Views) India" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/MhaNewsViewsIndia?hl=en ------------- Affiliated Groups : MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY INDIA [email protected] Discussions on mental health law / policy / plan monitoring / human rights etc [email protected] India-specific news and views related to mental health [email protected] Information and support to carers of people with mental health issues [email protected] Mutual support and sharing of experiential knowledge, skills and social learning amongst peers
