Abortion clinic closed after investigation found unsafe practices that put women’s health at risk

Venice Women’s Health Center, an abortion clinic in Port Charlotte, Florida, was closed recently after investigations undertaken by the pro-life group Reprotection determined that the clinic was too unsafe to remain in practice.

Quick Facts

• The Venice Women’s Health Center was run by Dr. Ali Azima, who had had his medical license revoked in the past due to medical malpractice.
• The investigation found that Dr. Azima had, on multiple occasions, conducted unsafe medical practices that risked the lives of women getting abortions.
• Abortion clinics have been routinely shut down over the years for unclean facilities and unsafe practices, but because many states don’t regulate them as rigorously as they do other businesses, many are able to remain open despite their unhealthy conditions.

After a year-long investigation, another abortion clinic has shut its doors. This clinic, led by Dr. Ali Azima, was deemed to be endangering so many patients that it couldn’t continue to operate. The year-long investigation was conducted by Reprotection, a pro-life organization that “exists to help pro-life advocates protect women and children from harm by investigating and closing down dangerous abortion providers,” in partnership with attorneys from the Thomas More Society.

A statement from Missy Stone, Reprotection’s senior analyst, said, “We are so glad that Ali Azima has retired and stopped harming women and killing children in Florida. With one more abortion business shut down, lives will be saved and women’s health will no longer be endangered. Reprotection will continue to investigate dangerous doctors and abortion businesses nationwide and hold them accountable.”

Azima had formerly had his medical license revoked in the past due to medical malpractice but continued performing abortions once he got it back. This led to complaints against Azima, which included that he would show signs of “mental and physical disturbances” that caused him to violently shake while performing abortions and he had “reportedly performed incomplete abortion surgeries, implanted birth control devices in women who were already pregnant and failed to comply with post-surgical practices.”

Live Action reported that Azima didn’t make sure all parts and tissue of the aborted baby were removed and would often burn patients during the abortion procedure due to using alcohol that was too strong.

Another complaint charged that Azima and his staff neglected to call 911 for a distressed patient who began having trouble breathing once the abortion procedure began. Instead, she ran out of the clinic screaming for someone to call 911, while witnesses said she had blood streaming down her legs.

“This highlights a question that must be answered,” Thomas More Society Senior Counsel Matt Heffron said. “Why do so many governmental units avoid their duties to regulate abortion facilities? If Azima had been in any other business, you can be assured there would have been swift action to protect the public. The fact that he was still in business after so many complaints and verified violations is astounding.”

Dr. Azima’s clinic is hardly the only example of abortion facilities being allowed to remain open despite horrifying conditions and practices.

In 2013, NARAL, a pro-choice organization, said that all abortion clinics in Virginia passed their health and safety inspections with “flying colors,” but this was not the case. It was later found that none of Virginia’s abortion clinics passed the inspection. In fact, most of them were far below the line of what should be deemed acceptable.

Abortion clinics in Virginia weren’t held to the same standards as hospitals and other medical practices until 2013 — 40 years after Roe v. Wade was passed. The Life Institute also includes a long list of other abortion clinics that were shut down due to unsafe conditions and care practices.

These reviling and callous abortion practices are not only leading to the death of a child but are threatening the health and safety of the mother as well.

Why are abortion clinics not held to the same safety standards as other medical facilities? If these same types of conditions were found in hospitals or outpatient surgery centers, the public would rightfully demand that they be shut down and brought up to meet critical healthcare codes before being allowed to resume operations.

The answer, unfortunately, is two-fold: politics and greed. The abortion industry is only focused on one outcome — to perform as many abortions as possible. If women happen to get sick or hurt in the process, they see it as an unfortunate but acceptable price to pay to ensure their own political goals are furthered and their profits maximized.