Letters & Texts

Abortion pill response

The Queensland government’s move to counter a supposed “severe lack of termination services across the state” (TC 11/5/2023) by allowing nurses and midwives to prescribe the abortion pill and removing “arduous restrictions” on doctors and pharmacists will put the health of women further at risk.

The regulations around the use of prescription abortifacients were formulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration when it first permitted the use of the abortion pill in 2013 because they were seen as necessary for its safe administration.

The current requirements include an ultrasound to ensure the correct gestational age and that the pregnancy is not ectopic, and the proviso that emergency facilities will be available in the case of serious bleeding or other complications such as failed abortion which occurs in up to six per cent of cases.

Ongoing use of the abortion pill demonstrates that risks have not changed.

In fact, figures from South Australia Health on abortions performed in 2018 show that the overall complication rate from “medical” abortion was 6.2 per cent – 110 incidents from 1774 abortions.

Where is the evidence to show that these safeguards for women are no longer necessary, especially in rural and remote regions?

Despite the fact that the majority of women who resort to abortion do so because of socio-economic circumstances or reproductive coercion, the only response this government seems to be capable of is providing more abortifacients.

Dr Donna Purcell, Toowoomba (Editor’s note: Dr Purcell is president of the Toowoomba branch of Cherish Life Queensland)

Marbles memories

I must be a bit older than Dave Fredericks.

I also remember playing marbles at primary school in the early 1960s.

I remember lunch time and morning tea break as little lunch and big lunch.

Marbles were played on the dirt patch on the school oval using circles of various sizes.

We used to play Funsies and Keepsies – Funsies were, as the name implies, for fun, Keepsies were when you kept, and hopefully built up your collection, by keeping the marbles that you shot out of the ring.

Nice memories, Dave.

Patrick Boyce, Kearneys Spring

Back to school

The “back at high school” dream is one of the most common dreams or nightmares in older adults.

This dream is not exactly the same for everyone, but usually involves an instance of missing an assignment, exam or class.

Let me know if you too have experienced this dream, it’s more common than you might think. Dave Fredericks, Toowoomba

TEXT THE EDITOR

Enticing $$ packages to engage doctors to regional areas, from Interstate or City haunts.

Bubble dream I think as each state, especially rural areas in all states are in same boat, ‘scarce as hens teeth and numbers at Uni also low.

If Fed & State Govts had taken care of health & listened to these precious health workers, doctors, midwives & nurses long, long ago things wouldn’t be so dire!

Ditto for police & other emergency workers!

Shame on those whom try to bury their blunders! iSpy, Twmba

Glad to know TRC will learn a bit about their proposed EVs.

What a load of nonsense!

Upset Ratepayer.

If people come here to live from other countries and they or other members of their family commit crimes and continue to do so there really should not be an option to stay here anymore.

They are running rampant and

Australia is fast losing its laid back and carefree way of life.

DS Twmba.

The wave of theft and break ins is intolerable.

Victims deserve to see appropriate punishment for the perpetrators but, as a society none of us want to see young kids follow a life of crime after a stint in youth detention or even jail.

Would not prevention be better for young people who appear they have no respect for themselves or other people?

Answer is mandatory National Service for all youth, all genders unless proven medically unfit.

So much to be gained by a year of disciplined, routine care and education and respect for others.

Please, some government, be brave and implement this.

N.H. Toowoomba.

Letters

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