Vatican official to UN: 'unacceptable' to divert medical funds to abortion, contraception

September 16, 2011

The Vatican’s representative at UN offices in Geneva has condemned the diversion of funds from genuine medical care and spend those funds on contraception and abortion.

Speaking at a session of the UN’s Human Rights Council on maternal mortality, Archbishop Silvano Tomasi observed that in Africa, the most common causes of maternal mortality are hypertension, obstructed labor, hemorrhage, infection, and HIV-related diseases. All of these conditions can be addressed by medical means, he said—provided that adequate resources are available. However, the archbishop charged, needed funds have been diverted to abortion and contraception.

“My delegation finds totally unacceptable any attempts to divert much-needed financial resources from these effective and life-saving interventions to increased programs of contraception and abortion,” Archbishop Tomasi said.

 

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Further information:

• Archbishop Tomasi: diverting funds for abortion and contraception "totally unacceptable" (Vatican Radio)
• Statement of Archbishop Tomasi to UN Rights Council (full text from Vatican Radio)