Cancer patients need better healthcare?

Every now and then, the Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Joseph Cassar comes out in the public domain to sing the praises of the Department of Health's achievements. In a recent article he stated that "The Budget has also set a number of congruent...

Every now and then, the Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Joseph Cassar comes out in the public domain to sing the praises of the Department of Health's achievements. In a recent article he stated that "The Budget has also set a number of congruent initiatives towards a holistic and ambitious programme to fight cancer".

Since the 2008 general election, Dr Cassar has made a number of promises to cancer patients that the introduction by the government of a PET scan service in Malta was in the pipeline. Dr Cassar's article is silent on this vital issue. He owes an explanation to cancer patients .

Continued ill-judged predictions and projections by the government can be embarrassing at best and, at worst, damaging to cancer patients.

Now that St James Hospital is offering a PET scan service to cancer patients, the government should ensure that any cancer patient who needs a PET scan should be referred to St James Hospital on public funds. The opposition should do its utmost in and out of season to intervene on behalf of cancer patients in this regard.

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