The MUMN nurses union hit out at 'certain consultants' today for sending Gozitans for chemotherapy in Malta when the service was available in Gozo itself.
It urged Health Minister Konrad Mizzi to investigate the ‘hijacking of service’ by 'certain consultants' who it said were undermining not just the Government service but causing hardship for patients.
In a statement is said that successive governments had invested heavily in the development of the chemotherapy centre at Gozo General Hospital. The hospital now had a state of the art facility for chemotherapy administration and trained medical doctors and specialised nurses in chemotherapy administration.
The nurses administered such treatment while doctors became involved in remote cases where complications might occur.
Yet, the MUMN said, Gozitan residents suffering from cancer were still ordered to travel to Boffa Hospital at Floriana by 'certain oncology consultants' even though such travelling was literally a nightmare to such weak vulnerable patients.
Some of these patients even had to resort to booking hotel rooms in Malta after chemotherapy or were refusing treatment and staying in Gozo since crossing the ferry in rough seas was unbearable.
"While MUMN recognises that certain chemotherapy still has to be given in Boffa Hospital due to the short span of time which certain chemotherapy drugs can have on preparation, the vast majority of chemotherapy drugs can be given by the trained nurses at GGH," the union said.
"MUMN is aware that certain consultants are purposely not allowing their patients to be treated in Gozo, knowing well that Gozo Hospital can give such treatment," it said. This 'scaremongering and hard headedness of certain consultants' was causing severe patient suffering.
It said that hardly any service was being given in Gozo as regards chemotherapy administration and no new patients were being referred in the new facility at the Gozo General Hospital.
"The pretext conveniently used by certain consultants is “patient safety” which does not hold water since two weights two measures is being adopted between the consultants, not to mention the inconsistent approach being used even among the oncology consultants themselves," the union added.
The union said it intended to publish facts and figures if such human suffering continued.