Lima, Peru, May 9, 2020 / 13:00 pm
Peruvian congresswoman Luz Milagros Cayguaray Gambini has demanded the country's health minister provide the legal and scientific basis for a directive that would allow abortion when a pregnant woman is infected with the novel coronavirus.
Abortion is illegal in Peru except when pregnancy would cause death or permanent harm to a pregnant woman.
On April 22, Peru's Minister of Health Victor Zamora issued a directive calling for provision of emergency contraception in the country, and allowing abortion for pregnant women who test positive for the coronavirus.
In a May 5 letter, Cayguaray demanded Zamora to "Indicate what the legal basis" is for the directive that allows doctors to "end the pregnancy," if the mother has contracted COVID-19.