CONSULTANTS AND campaigners who are opposed to the transfer of breast cancer services from Sligo General Hospital are set to intensify their efforts following angry scenes at the hospital last weekend.
The consultants who have already lobbied Minister for Health Mary Harney will once more make their case to the Director of National Cancer Control Prof Tom Keane when he visits the hospital tomorrow.
That meeting is due to take place as campaigners launch a poster campaign urging people not to vote for the Government parties in the June elections.
Leaflets headed “no cancer services, no votes” are due to be distributed throughout the northwest from this week urging the electorate to “vote against the Government parties who intend to take cancer services away from the people of Sligo and the north- west”.
Consultants at the hospital who are united in their opposition to the transfer of the unit to Galway have indicated that they have not abandoned the struggle.
Surgeon Tim Hanrahan said he “felt more resolute than ever” given the hardship he feels people from the region will endure if forced to travel to Galway or Dublin.
Consultant physician/ cardiologist Dr Donal Murray who has met Ms Harney on behalf of his colleagues, said the subject was not closed as far as they were concerned.
Independent MEP Marian Harkin yesterday expressed anger at remarks by Tánaiste Mary Coughlan on Ocean FM radio station in Sligo when she said that former patients who had “gone to their eternal reward” might now be saying it was a pity they had not an excellent service, or a better service, or less invasive treatment.
Ms Harkin said the Minister knew well that people had invasive surgery because there was no BreastCheck in the northwest.
She added that consultants and doctors at the hospital had recently outlined to local politicians how well the service in Sligo compared internationally and “unless everyone there was lying through their teeth, and I don’t think they were, what she said was wrong, wrong wrong”, said Ms Harkin.