Parents oppose Cowen plan
The Minister for Health and Children Brian Cowen is planning to close
the Haematology Department in the newly opened Tallaght Hospital and
has met with strong opposition from the parents of the 40 children
with leukemia who are being treated in Tallaght.
On Monday 1 February a press conference in Dublin launched a new
orgnaisation CHILD (Children's Hospital in Leukemia Drive) to the
keep the Haematology Department open at Tallaght. The Minister is
proposing to close the Department and transfer cancer treatment for
children, including those with leukemia, to Crumlin Children's
Hospital. The CHILD group says that this would be highly disruptive
to the children and their parents. The department in question is only
in Tallaght a matter of months, having been transferred from Harcourt
Street Children's Hospital when Tallaght Hospital was established.
CHILD says that yet another move makes neither medical nor economic
sense.
Cavan/Monaghan Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín O Caoláin has written to the
Minister for Health and Children Brian Cowen expressing grave concern
at the closure threat. He commented:
``The threat of closure has caused real distress to people already
under the immense strain of a very serious illness which requires the
most painstaking care. I have urged the Minister to allow these
patients to continue their treatment in the environment where they
have the confidence so essential to their well-being.''
The TD's call was backed by Dublin South West Sinn Féin
representative Seán Crowe.
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