DAYTON-(CCN-USA)-According to public record, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) notified the Women’s Medical Center, an abortion facility in Kettering, of their proposal to issue an order revoking their license to operate. This action is based upon the Women’s Medical Center of Dayton’s failure to comply with OAC 3701-83-19(E) which provides the “the Ambulatory Medical Facility (ASF) shall have a written transfer agreement with a hospital for transfer of patients in the event of medical complications, emergency situations, and for other needs as they arise.”

   This action from the ODH is a result of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati that this abortion clinic must, as a surgical facility, meet the requirement of a written transfer agreement from an area hospital. The only stipulation is that Dr. Nick Baird, Director of ODH gives Haskell the opportunity for a hearing before him regarding the proposal to revoke his license. This request must be made within 30 days of the date the notification was mailed, which was April 7, 2006. In the past, Martin Haskell has been unable to obtain this agreement from any hospital. Up to this point he has successfully argued in court that he did not need to meet this requirement for licensure. But this recent court decision puts an end to this strategy. The Department of Health has informed Haskell that unless he meets this requirement, he will be forced to close.

   If a hearing is requested, Haskell may appear in person or be represented by his attorney, may present evidence, and may examine witnesses appearing for or against him. He may also present his position, contentions, and arguments in writing. If Haskell does not request a hearing within the 30 days allowed, Dr. Nick Baird will issue an order revoking his license to operate the Women’s Medical Center in Dayton. Dr. Nick Baird may grant a variance or waiver from the requirements, however, was quoted in the last case 03-CV-162, that in his opinion there was “a potential safety issue regarding patients,” and that is why he denied the waiver in the previous case. He also stated that “This is about upholding the law that I am required to do under the position that I have as the director of the Department of Health (342:2-4, 7-9).”

   Since 1983, the abortion clinic on Stroop Road in Kettering, the Women’s Med Center, has remained open, despite countless attempts to end the “Killing in Kettering.” Haskell and his associates have performed an estimated 3500 abortions per year at this clinic, a total of approximately 80,500 deaths. The facility is also the home of the Partial Birth Abortion method – it was at this location that Martin Haskell perfected his late term abortion procedure.

   To finally end the “Killing in Kettering,” and to eliminate any future of another abortion clinic opening in the Dayton area, Dayton Right to Life’s Executive Director, Christi Dodson is directing Dayton Right to Life to focus its efforts, volunteers and financial resources on Project: “Abortion Free Zone.” Thousands of hours have been spent by Dayton Right to Life staff, volunteers, legal counsel, and consultants to arrive at this very point in history. Dodson said “It is time to remind the community just what is happening every day as long as this clinic remains open. We have no doubt that this community cares about life . . . that is how in ten years we have gone from a community with 3 abortion clinics and almost 6000 deaths per year to a community with only one clinic and half as many abortions. Now is the time to complete that job. It is time to end the “Killing in Kettering!”