A Planned Parenthood facility in Wilmington is under fire following new accusations from three former employees.
Former manager Melody Meanor and former nurses Joyce Vasikonis and Jayne Mitchell-Werbrich spoke at a legislative hearing on Monday, claiming the Planned Parenthood clinic located on Shipley Street in Wilmington is unprofessional, under-trained and unsafe.
“Women are exposed to potential infection of any kind you can imagine that can be passed from one patient to another,” Vasikonis said.
During their testimony, the women claimed the privacy of patients was jeopardized, that they were asked to falsify employee records, that medical assistants were poorly trained and that certain women in need of certain medications after abortions often didn’t receive them. They also claimed that the facility failed to inform up to 200 women that they tested positive for gonorrhea and chlamydia, according to Delaware Online.
All three nurses insist that their motivation for testifying is not political. In fact, they say that they are pro-choice and believe in the national mission of Planned Parenthood. They also believe however that the Wilmington clinic is putting the lives of women at risk.
OSHA previously issued several citations against the clinic and the State Health Department found violations during an inspection. However, the Department allowed the clinic to stay open, satisfied with its attempts to make things right. The former employees however, don’t believe the state is looking close enough.
“I believe that Planned Parenthood should be fined and closed until all dangers are addressed,” Werbrich said. “Again, I’m going to state, I am pro-choice.”
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NBC10 reached out to the clinic for comment. So far we have not heard back from them. Ruth Lytle-Barnaby, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Delaware, told Delaware Online the accusations were either untrue or have already been addressed by state officials.
Last May, state medical licensing officials filed a formal complaint against a doctor who performed abortions at the clinic, accusing him of engaging in multiple acts of incompetence and negligence.
