DONEGAL Action for
Cancer Care (DACC) has slated further delays in
bringing the life-saving BreastCheck programme to
the North West despite several Government promises.
The group said that Health Minister Mary Harney this
week indicated that the national breast screening
service would not be fully rolled out for another 27
months.
"We were assured by the Government that BreastCheck
would be implemented in Donegal by last September,"
said spokesperson Paddy Hume.
"When we met with An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in
Letterkenny on March 29, we raised the issue of when
BreastCheck would be available to the women in the
North West as we had heard it would not be here
until 2010 or 2011.
"We were told very clearly at that time and were
given assurances that we would have it in September
2007. We were told we had nothing to worry about."
Mr. Hume said DACC also raised the issue at meetings
with the HSE but at the last meeting were told that
while there were problems recruiting staff, the
North West would "definitely" be included in the
start of the roll out in the first six months of
2008, though possibly not as a full service.
"This leaves us, once again, as the county where the
health of our people is not classed as important and
indeed we are again discriminated against," said Mr.
Hume.
"Lives in Donegal do not appear to have a value.
Maybe it is time once again for the people of the
county to say that we are not prepared to be treated
as second class citizens."
Meanwhile, DACC acknowledged the "excellent
services" provided by Letterkenny General Hospital
in the ongoing care and support of cancer patients
in the county. |
