A Donegal councillor
has hit out at the ongoing delay in bringing the
national breast cancer screening programme
BreastCheck to the county.
Sinn Féin Councillor, Tony McDaid described the
ongoing failure to roll out BreastCheck for women at
risk of cancer in Donegal as "disgraceful" and said
it was "further evidence of Donegal's neglect".
Cllr. McDaid said he wrote to Health Minister Mary
Harney as far back as October 2004 that deaths from
breast cancer in the North had been reduced by 4% on
a yearly basis due to the availability of a
screening programme.
"Now, here we are in 2008 and I can confirm that
following a phone call to the BreastCheck head
office, my colleague, Cllr. Pádraig Mac Lochlainn
has confirmed that they are in not in a position to
give a time frame for delivery to this county," said
Cllr. McDaid.
"They have stated that they now have a "static unit"
in Galway, that will branch out across the entire
west of Ireland and that it will take two years to
catch up with the backlog.
"The only hope given by BreastCheck for women
between the ages of 50 and 64, at risk of breast
cancer in Donegal, is for the delivery of "mobile
digital units" when suitable sites are identified in
the county. Again there is no timeframe at this
stage for this." Cllr. McDaid said a major Donegal
Action for Cancer Care protest could not be allowed
to fall on deaf ears.
"In recent times, over 15,000 people marched on the
streets of Donegal in the pouring rain to demand
equality in cancer care. I want to send a clear
message to Minister Mary Harney and her Government
colleagues. The days of second class citizenship in
Donegal have to end," he added. |
