Speaking at a rally of over 10,000 people in Waterford City this weekend, Sinn Féin area representative Conor D. McGuinness said Government inaction on 24/7 emergency cardiac care is putting the lives of Waterford people at risk.
McGuinness said:
“University Hospital Waterford serves a population of half a million people, yet the South East remains the only region without 24-hour emergency cardiac care.
“If someone in Co. Waterford experiences a cardiac incident between 5pm on a Friday and 9am on a Monday their only option is a transfer to Cork City, if and when an ambulance is available.
“We need a permanent second Cath Lab at UHW and the provision of 24/7 emergency cardiac care. A second lab needs to be adequately resourced and capable of performing both diagnostic and intervention work.
“There is a 14-day waiting list for crucial cardiac diagnostic treatment in UHW, treatment which should be occurring within 24 hours of a patient experiencing a cardiac incident.
“The Government and HSE management are treating people in Co. Waterford like second-class citizens. Lives are being put at risk by the failure of this Government and its predecessors to take action. The clear message from this weekend’s rally is that the people of Waterford demand 24/7 emergency cardiac care without further delay.”
Cllr. Conor D. McGuinness 