HEALTH chiefs are “throwing away €300,000” a day by leaving almost 1,200 public hospital beds empty or unavailable across the country, it has been claimed.

A SPECIALIST dietician for children with diabetes in Cork was finally appointed yesterday, almost a year after the post was promised.

AN AVERAGE of three cases of TB a week have been diagnosed at two Cork creches since March 15, bringing to 18 the record number of cases confirmed.

A LIMERICK community whose contaminated water supply has been subject to a “boil notice” for the past 16 months was hit with a new water scare yesterday following further contamination.

CUT the tax on condoms and extend screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) — this is the pre-election message for the Government and opposition parties from young people.

THE forthcoming decision on the location of a new graduate entry medical school could have major implications for Health Minister of State Tim O’Malley.

FEARS the Accident & Emergency (A&E) Department at Mallow General Hospital could be downgraded or closed have been allayed with news that a dedicated casualty officer is to be appointed there.

MORE heroin and cocaine abusers sought help for their addiction last year than any other time in the history of records in the south-east, drugs misuse statistics show.

HOW a woman died after waiting 12 hours for medical help is to be the subject of a special Health Service Executive (HSE) inquiry.

MORE than 4,000 women are waiting up to two years for a mammogram that can detect breast cancer up to a year-and-a-half before there are any symptoms of the disease.

THE €5 million centre built in Limerick four years ago to accommodate disturbed youths is still a huge financial burden on the Health Service Executive (HSE) Mid West, even though it remains shut.

THE post of specialist in orthodontics for the Health Service Executive (HSE) Southern Area was advertised with a closing date of May 2005.

ONE in three drug users who injects substances has shared equipment, figures for Waterford and the south-east show.

IN recent weeks a number of comments have been made in the Irish media in relation to the nature of the social work profession and its lack of accountability.

LIMERICK mother Gerardine Murphy is one of thousands of cancer patients from around Munster who will benefit from a new treatment machine switched on in Cork yesterday.

Eoin English

Brian Lenihan, Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, was officially presented with the Strategic Developmental Review of Health Board Food Control Laboratories Report earlier today at safefood's offices.