The need for euthanasia

I have just received a call from my nephew informing me that Joe, one of my two brothers who live in Australia, had died. I had been expecting this news for months now since Joe had a terminal illness and had been suffering excruciating pain with no hope of recovering or getting any better. It was a one-way slope down to the end.

I already had a similar experience with another brother of mine here in Malta. I could only remain by his side for just a few minutes, seeing him desperately trying to remove all the pipes, and so on, which were keeping him existing. I do not call people in similar circumstances as living. 

Malta needs to have a mature, non-political discussion on euthanasia. Photo: Shutterstock.com

He couldn’t because he had both hands tied to each side of the bed.

I have been convinced about the need for the introduction of the right to euthanasia in our country since then. The demise of my dear brother, Joe has strengthened my determination to start a discussion on euthanasia in the letters page of the Times of Malta.

I believe that most readers may have had similar experiences, when, instead of praying for their loved relative or friend to recover, they prayed for his/her demise to end the unbearable suffering of their loved one.

What guarantee do we have that we do not end up in a similar unfortunate situation?

I urge those who have passed through such heart-wrenching experiences not to remain silent but to express their opinion publicly, especially in the opinion and letters pages of the Times of Malta and other newspapers. Finally, I appeal to the prime minister and his cabinet to initiate a mature, non-political public discussion on assisted dying, which should not be a never-ending one. 

This should be followed by parliamentary discussion and action to give the Maltese people the right to decide when to depart to another, hopefully eternal, life in a dignified manner.

Eddy Privitera – Naxxar