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PHILADELPHIA, Oct 03, 2003 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- A Philadelphia hospital, in violation of its own policy, complied with a white man's demand that no African-American be allowed to help deliver his child.
The incident at the 508-bed Abington Memorial Hospital continued for several days in September when the man's pregnant wife was at the facility. The hospital has a policy that "care will be provided on a nondiscriminatory basis," The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Friday.
The report said the hospital supervisors' decision to go along with the man's demand that only white employees enter his wife's room offended many employees. Hospital president Richard L. Jones Jr. later issued a statement calling the situation "morally reprehensible."
Hospital vice president Meg McGoldrick said the staff had good intentions and sought only to avoid any confrontation. McGoldrick also said the decision was wrong and that the hospital should have followed its established policy.
The city's NAACP office was notified but no one filed a formal complaint.
Copyright 2003 by United Press International.
