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INDIA

Surrogate death husband may sue Norway

An Indian man whose wife died after giving birth to a Norwegian couple's surrogate child may sue the Norwegian state for damages within days, Dagsavisen has reported.

Published: 1 August 2013 09:46 CEST
Surrogate death husband may sue Norway
IVF: Carl Zeiss Microscopy
Naeem Qureshi's wife Mona entered a surrogacy programme to pay for his medical treatment, but suffered fatal complications during the birth. 
 
One of the twins she was carrying died shortly after birth but the other is now in Norway with its parents.  
 
Norwegian lawyer Shahzad Nazir, who is giving Qureshi him free legal aid, said he hoped the state would provide help without his client having to go to court. 
 
"We have sent a request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion (BLD), asking them to provide financial and medical assistance to my client," he said. "He is seriously ill and is constantly at the hospital."
 
In the letter, Nazir argues that the state is liable because although surrogacy is illegal in Norway, it provides a loophole allowing Norwegian couples to use it abroad.
 
He says that if the Ministry's reply refusing any payments, which he expects to happen within days, his client will start legal proceedings. 

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IVF

Spain restores free IVF to singles, lesbians and now trans people

The Spanish government on Wednesday confirmed it will restore state-funded fertility treatment to singles, bisexual women and lesbians, also extending it to transgender persons capable of conceiving who can access IVF on the national health system.

Published: 10 November 2021 17:22 CET
Fertility treatment is now free for the majority of people in Spain. Photo: GENYA SAVILOV / AFP
Fertility treatment is now free for the majority of people in Spain. Photo: GENYA SAVILOV / AFP

The measure had long been demanded by LGBT rights groups and is part of the Socialist-led government’s drive for equality.

Fertility treatment is free in Spain, but in 2014, the conservative Popular Party government that was in power at the time, limited it to heterosexual women who have a partner, forcing others to pay for private treatment.

Since then, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment has only been free for those with fertility problems resulting from a medical condition, or to prevent the transmission of a serious disease or disorder.

It was not available to those who were unable to conceive without having fertility problems, such as single women or lesbians.

“The government has restored the right of single women, lesbians and bisexuals to access assisted reproduction techniques within the national health system and has extended it to transgender people with gestational capacity,” a ministry statement said.

Under the new ministerial order, which came into effect on Wednesday, the service will affect some 8,500 women, according to the health ministry.

“This is a milestone,” said Health Minister Carolina Darias on signing the order, indicating it would have “an important impact on these groups, guaranteeing access to assisted reproduction techniques under equal conditions”.

“Spain is a world leader in public health and in rights for women and the LGBTI community,” she added.

Despite the conservative government’s move to limit the service seven years ago, many of Spain’s 17 regions, which are responsible for their own healthcare policy, refused to enforce it.

Spain’s current government, which describes itself as feminist, has a record number of women serving in the cabinet.

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