COPD GROUP MEET MINISTER
THE local COPD group outlined the huge financial pressures facing those suffering with the disease when they met with the Minister for Health Simon Harris (right) in Drogheda last week.
Speaking at the meeting, Chairperson of the Drogheda COPD group Pauline O’Neill said they were ‘delighted’ with the news that the new extension at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital will include a dedicated Respiratory Ward and said the group would love to see this taken even further with a specialist COPD ward.
She said the group intend to fundraise for equipment for the new ward to provide treatment for people with COPD.
Ms O’Neill went on to raise a number of issues of concern with the Minister, most notably the serious costs involved for those suffering with the disease.
‘People who are on oxygen, they are not using their oxygen as much as they should be because they are afraid their ESB bills will be too high. Many can’t work because of the disease so their means are limited,’ Pauline told the Minister. ‘As a result of them not using their oxygen they are entering hospital earlier and they are also at risk of premature death because oxygen is vital and must get to every part of the body.’
She went on to say that COPD is treatable if caught in time but is not curable and wondered why the disease cannot be added to the long-term illness list. Ms O’Neill also asked that the outreach services for the area, which currently cover Dundalk and Monaghan as well as Drogheda, be increased.
Minister Harris acknowledged the huge work done by the local COPD group and their drive to raise awareness about the disease.
He said he took on board all the points that had been made and said the prescription charge had been reduced to €2 in the budget. The Minister also said that for people who don’t have medical cards, the cost of prescription medication has been reduced by €10 and said he is hopeful this will come down even more.