News
Cincinnati’s Only Abortion Clinic Fighting to Keep Its Doors Open
By: Jo Ingles | Statehouse News Bureau
Posted on:
Cincinnati’s only abortion clinic is in business now but its future is uncertain. It is fighting to keep its doors open.
Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio has been operating that area’s only abortion clinic on a variance with the state health department because it couldn’t comply with a law that requires an agreement with a nearby hospital to transfer patients there in case of an emergency.
But now the Ohio Department of Health has rescinded that variance because the clinic doesn’t have enough doctors required to be on standby in case of an emergency. Last month, the clinic notified the state that it no longer had the four backup doctors listed on the previous variance. And the clinic is asking for 30 days to find a doctor who could serve as a replacement.
In a written statement, the Chief Executive Officer of the clinic, Kersha Deibel, said Cincinnati patients need the facility. “It is our position that the state’s requirements for a written transfer agreement or variance are medically unnecessary and just another strategy on the part of the state to place unconstitutional barriers on a person’s right to safe, legal abortion,” Deibel said.
Deibel said the clinic is following the law and is working to identify a new provider. The clinic remains open at this point.
Last year, a Dayton clinic was on the verge of being shut down before coming up with an agreement to comply with this law.