‘50% of county will suffer cancer in 10 years’
Their admissions came after a Fianna Fáil county councillor presented shocking cancer figures to a meeting of the local authority on Monday.
Cllr Dan Fleming said information he had from “reliable sources” showed that one-in-three people in Co Cork suffer from cancer.
“It’s increasing so that in 10 years time 50% will suffer from cancer,” he said.
“There is no cancer ward at Cork University Hospital (CUH), which serves a population of 500,000.”
He then gave a breakdown of figures for cancer services at the hospital last year.
There were 2,672 surgical procedures, 24,716 radiation sessions and nearly 5,000 chemotherapy session for inpatients.
“There are only two oncologists in Cork and one of them is going, while there are 13 in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin,” Mr Fleming said.
The council called on Health Minister Mary Harney to immediately open a 30-bed ward at CUH solely for cancer sufferers.
Government deputy chief whip Billy Kelleher admitted yesterday that Cork does “not have the full complement” of cancer services.
“You have to be concerned about the figures,” he said.
“There is an urgent requirement to open the ward as well as other facilities, particularly diagnostic facilities.
“I’m disappointed we haven’t expedited developments further.”
He said services like BreastCheck need to be rolled out fast.
“We have to find out what services are deficient, then working with hospital management and the Health Service Executive (HSE) Southern Region try to find funding,” he said.
Party colleague Noel O’Flynn said he fully supported the county council’s motion calling for the immediate opening of the CUH cancer ward.
“We need more and more services as resources allow,” he said.
“The Government is trying to deal with every health matter but you can’t do everything over night,” he said.
Enterprise Minister and former Health Minister Micheál Martin was unavailable for comment yesterday.
Meanwhile, the HSE confirmed it is working to find a replacement for CUH cancer specialist Dr Oscar Breathnach who announced his resignation in March over what he said was his frustration at “lack of funds”.
Dr Breathnach campaigned unsuccessfully for four years for the opening of a seven day a week dedicated cancer ward. He is due to leave next month.
A HSE spokesperson said the recruitment process for a locum to replace Dr Breathnach as well as a permanent replacement has started.
