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SF protest over NW cancer unit
04.10.07
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THE island's Sinn Féin
representatives simultaneously handed over petitions
of protest yesterday to highlight the failure of the
two health ministers to progress plans for a
satellite radiation in the North West. |
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The action at the
offices of the two permanent health secretaries,
comes ahead of a meeting on Friday between Health
Ministers Michael McGimpsey and Mary Harney.
Cllr Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Senator Pearse
Doherty said both health ministers had "a joint
obligation" to undertake collaborative projects on a
cross-border basis.
"It would have therefore been expected - given that
cancer patients in the North West counties are
further removed from access to radiotherapy services
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any other region of
Ireland, that the establishment of a satellite
cancer radiation centre in the North West would have
been a major priority for both ministers in terms of
ensuring equality of access to these vital
services," they said.
The two representatives said there was a valid and
justifiable case for a radiation unit in the North
West.
"Planning and configuration of cancer service
provision on an all-island basis would justify a
radiation unit for the entire North West, instead of
very ill patients from this region being forced to
undergo the additional burden of repeated and
prolonged journeys to Belfast or Dublin," their
statement continued.
"Our protest action is designed to highlight the
fact that both ministers are failing the people of
the North West by not being prepared to take an
all-Ireland and cross-border approach on this
crucial issue - an issue which has already, or will
in the future, impact upon the lives of so many
families in the region." |
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