Oncology Department chairman resigns

The chairman of the Oncology Department of Boffa Hospital has resigned as he disagrees with government policies on the treatment of cancer. Labour main spokesperson for Health Marie Louise Coleiro Preca said this on Thursday morning and called on government to explain what is behind this resignation. She also said that government must explain why it has issued a call for a post of chairman to combine together the Department of Oncology and Hematology and whether this will lead to having the Oncology Department being run by someone who does not understand what radiotherapy is.

On Tuesday Coleiro Preca said: “The unit at the Boffa Hospital for the treatment of the thyroid and gynecological cancer has been shut down for eight weeks when government should have accepted expert advice to extend the facilities to address the increasing demand for cancers of this type.”

Coleiro Preca said that according to government these facilities were closed down to expand them when in fact no work has started on them in the last eight weeks. There are patients waiting for treatment despite being promised that they would be sent overseas as this treatment is not available locally.

Coleiro Preca said that tax-payers have a right to know what government is going to do in this area to stop patients being let down due to lack of planning.