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Today we start our first ethical discussion here!!! Yeeee!!! Who’s excited? I am! (Winks). But mind you, today’s topic is quite reflective and also deals with life and has so much emotion attached to it. Kindly comment your views on the topic and let’s discuss properly.
It’s no news of the pandemic affecting the nook and cranny of the world, its also no news that the vaccine of Corona Virus is yet to be found. In this light, if there are patients with weak immune system who have contacted the virus and are in a chronic state, no matter of isolation and treatment can heal them and they are in pains, so much pain that death is a palatable option and death isn’t coming, and at the same time the facilities for treatment are lower than the affected patients of covid’19 all over, should mercy killing be approved to ease those with Chronic Covid’19 from their pains and at the same time find space to treat other patients who have tendencies to survive the virus. Or should these patients in chronic stage be allowed to live at the expense of the lives of those patients who can survive it?
To explain better, Mercy killing is the killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease. Let’s note that in medical ethics there are four major reflections in health care for patients; Autonomy (which is respecting the decision making capacities of individuals), Beneficence ( providing Benefits and balancing benefits against risk and costs), Non Maleficence (avoid the causation of harm), Justice (the fair distribution of benefits, risks and costs).
With consideration of the above health care ethical forms, If you were to be part of the decision making body, what would you agree to? Yes to mercy killing to take away the pain of patients with chronic covid’19 and save others or No, mercy killing cannot be justified in any way.
Leave your comments below as we reflect societal issues on Gist With McCool.
Ethical Gist With Oluwatosin 
I’m not sure, but I think the option of euthanasia barely come in as regards Covid19. Covid19 is so potent and fatal that it barely give room for such consideration that is, whether or not the patient be killed instead of going through so much pain.
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Nice insight and observation Micheal. But in cases of scarce facilities like bed space and equipments and high Rate of covid’19 patients, should mercy killing be considered for chronic patients…
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Well,my personal opinion:
Whether mercy killing is justifiable or not, is dependent on the urgency of the pandemic in that particular location—especially the rate at which it is being contacted. As a matter of urgency, a logical solution would be to agree to mercy killing since it would be sustainable on the long run—that is, it is the lesser evil. But in a converse case—and the world is currently in this scenario—mercy killing isn’t warranted.
Like I said,my opinion!
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Nice point Gift. Thank you
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I don’t agree with mercy killing because as long as there’s life; there’s still hope because its still possible for the cure to be found and even without the cure being found, some people are still recovering.
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Exactly Marv. Thank you
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I think it’s morally wrong to take a life for whatever reason, everyone deserves a chance, we’ve seen patients that were given very little or no chances of survival go on to make full recovery and lead normal lives. All lives are equal,sick or healthy.Its even illegal in most countries except in about 3 countries in Europe
Also from religious perspectives, I do not think any religion supports euthanasia on the basis of suffering from illness.
Lately, we’ve been involved in a campaign “right to live” an anti abortion campaign, if assisted suicide is ethical or allowed then it means abortion too should be allowed or ethical Cos the unborn child in the case of abortion and the patient in the case of euthanasia don’t always make the decisions to end their lives,
the decision is made for them by family members who can’t bear to see them “suffer” or by health officials who need the space for another patient especially in the case of euthanasia like we are probably witnessing now,I wouldn’t be surprised if some family members go to court after this pandemic.All in all euthanasia does not uphold the idea of Sanctity of life
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Hmmmn exactly Fem Fem. I’m with you on the point that if mercy killing is allowed, a abortion should be allowed too.
Basically, I feel Mercy killing is wrong, no matter the circumstances.
Thank Fem Fem
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Hmmmm
Mercy killing in this situation really in Europe during the peak period of COVID- 19 isn’t something that can be delibrated over.
It it a wrong yet? I will say it’s a function of possibility and a degree of certainty in recovery looking at the virus one you have an history of illness in respect to internal organ then recovery is close to impossible I won’t say it’s wrong pulling the plug when a 67 year old person with diabetes and heart disease is on the ventilator while a 24 year old person with no medical issues needs one
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Well said sir well said
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