Madam, - We have had debates recently in Ireland about whether we the country has lost its soul as a result of an economic success. What I want to know is: where are our consciences, both institutional and individual?
Last Friday you reported the Dublin county coroner's call for urgent intervention following the deaths of 16 people in St Columcille's hospital, Loughlinstown over a seven-month period in 2007.
This is on top of the recent reports of deaths in Ennis General Hospital from similar infections. We know for sure that similar stories remain to be unearthed in other healthcare locations, and the total number of deaths and serious health consequences for survivors may never be known.
The most salient fact about all this is that successive Ministers for Health, former health boards, the HSE and hospital managers knew this was happening, and did very little to prevent it.
Since MRSA was first isolated here in the 1970s, microbiologists have been warning their medical and political masters that unless measures of prevention and control were put in place the consequences for patients were going to be very serious. A report, commissioned by the then Minister, was published in 1995, listing the requisite recommendations. Nothing was done.
These recommendations were repeated in further reports in 2005 and 2006. In response we had the hospital hygiene audits, which illustrated that standards in this area were nothing like they should be. There is evidence that the recommendations issued in the wake of these audits are not being universally adhered to either.
Those who were charged with delivering health services to the people of Ireland have failed in their duty of care, and allowed largely preventable injuries and deaths to take place as the result of the unchecked rise in the incidence of hospital-acquired infections. Has anyone owned up, taken responsibility or apologised? No fear.
We, the citizens of this republic, have stood by and allowed this to happen. As shown by the voting patterns in the last general election, we are more interested in the economy than in justice and equity in our healthcare system.
Are matters going to get better any time soon? Not unless all the measures needed to tackle this problem are put in place - and, just as importantly, maintained.
I am not holding my breath. - Yours, etc,
TERESA GRAHAM,
MRSA and Families,
Waterford.
Madam, - Last Friday you published a list of 16 patients,mostly from the Bray area, who died as a result of contracting an acquired infection at Loughlinstown Hospital. This is a real tragedy for the families.
While hospital authorities and the Minster for Health claim the hospital is now safe, I have been receiving calls from constituents who are scared and clearly are not reassured by the utterances of the hospital. What can I tell these people?
In my heart I feel I must tell them to go to another hospital because I too have lost faith in Loughlinstown. With no microbiologist in place, with staff shortages and a building not suited to disease control, I cannot feel safe recommending this institution as a place of treatment.
It is an extraordinary situation when sick people choose to stay at home rather than go to their local hospital for treatment. If there needs to be a greater reason for a Minister of Health to exit her position I do not know what it is. - Yours, etc,
Cllr JOHN RYAN (Fine Gael),
Ardmore Lawn,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.