Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1536441
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 15 JUNE 2025 4 INTERVIEW James Buhagiar: 'Church should have active role in assisted suicide process if enacted into law' HUMANISTS Malta Chairperson James Buhagiar believes the church should have an active role in the assist- ed dying process should it be enacted into law. Buhagiar says the church has "good values and man power", and so its spiritual guidance should be available to those going through the assisted su- icide process. His view provides a different perspec- tive to the debate on voluntary assisted euthanasia, sparked by the public con- sultation process on the subject un- veiled by the government. The consultation document makes clear that euthanasia will not be avail- able to individuals with disabilities, mental health conditions, age-related illnesses such as dementia, or those experiencing social isolation in care homes. Patients must be over 18, have been resident in Malta for at least 12 months, and must personally request assisted dying. Doctors will be prohib- ited from suggesting the option to pa- tients. Buhagiar tells me that chaplaincy services must be made available to pa- tients seeking assisted suicide, saying they would be providing spiritual and moral guidance in such an important decision. In his eyes these chaplains, who are trained to assist people of different faiths, would be part of a wider team which could include professionals like social workers. "When we are debating assisted dy- ing, we should not look at it only from a medical perspective, but also from a social perspective, and there should be a team of multidisciplinary people who accompany the person from their ini- tial considerations on assisted dying to their final days," he says. Buhagiar even claims that in some countries, once good chaplaincy ser- vices are provided, the rate of people going through with assisted dying ac- tually went down. The NGO head stresses the impor- tance of a living will, saying it will help patients, their families and profession- als during the difficult time. He says a living will would help patients make a clearer decision and would ensure the person's dignity is protected. On palliative care, which has regu- larly featured in public discussions on assisted dying, he says retaining high quality care lies in the amount of in- vestment the country's authorities are willing to make. Buhagiar says the NGO agrees with increased investment in palliative care, but one has to acknowledge that some- times not much more else can be done. "We have to protect the person's dig- nity when living," he tells me. I ask whether such a law could end up being used by vulnerable sections of society but Buhagiar insists that is something only society can determine. "Maltese society's track record is one of compassion. We have always helped each other, and assisted dying will not change anything," he insists. Humanists Malta Chairperson James Buhagiar sits down with Karl Azzopardi to discuss government's voluntary assisted euthanasia proposal, the church's possible role in the process and the need to retain high-quality palliative care