Madam, – We now know that you can wait for eight months for a colonoscopy which could save your life. Or in 24 hours you could be having the same diagnostic test in Kildare, but you must pay €900 (or get your health insurer to pay for it).
I don’t wish to waste my cynicism wondering why these related, shameful facts were reported separately in your edition of February 3rd. Instead, I question why our Minister for Health – who, I suspect would go to the opening of an envelope if a private health provider or “businessman” had produced it – feels it is not top priority to protect the lives of those citizens who will die of bowel cancer because they have to wait for a diagnosis, or the young girls who will get cervical cancer because they cannot afford to pay to prevent it.
As a nurse working in the public health system, I suspect you have not got enough ink to report on the widespread injustice against those who can’t or won’t be able to afford the healthcare to which they are entitled. – Yours, etc,
BLÁTHNAID CONNOLLY,
Casement Villas,
Dun Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.
Madam, – I found Tuesday’s news item headed “Harney opens private health unit” quite informative.
However, given that this is the “paper of record”, I was surprised your reporter failed to mention that Mary Harney is good friends with Vista Primary Care’s chairman, Ulick McEvaddy, and has stayed in his villa in the south of France. I am happy to correct this unfortunate oversight. – Yours,etc,
Dr JOHN DUDDY,
The Garnish,
Lancaster Quay,
Cork.