The Cardiac Cath Lab at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) serves over 500,000 people across the southeast but only operates Monday – Friday, 9 – 5pm. All other regions in the country have 24/7 cardiac cover and Cath Lab access. This means that if we need cardiac care after 5pm we have to be transferred in an ambulance to Cork thus placing our lives at significant risk.

We too are taxpayers and equal contributors to the national exchequer. We demand equal rights to healthcare access as afforded to every other region of Ireland. We are being discriminated against every single day! Do our lives not matter as much as those of other citizens?

We were promised by our local TDs that they would fight for 24/7 cardiac care if elected to Government. However, it is now apparent from the Draft Programme for Government that there is NO mention of providing 24/7 cardiac care for the South East. In the Programme, it states that the Government will “deliver the second Cath lab in Waterford University Hospital.” This is simply not enough. We deserve 24/7 Cardiac Care! Anything less is blatant discrimination and is certainly not cherishing the citizens of the nation equally. It is nothing short of disgraceful and cannot be allowed to continue.

We are now calling on our Government and elected TDs to stand up for what is right and ensure that 24/7 Cardiac care is provided to the citizens of the South East. We want written confirmation that the Government will commit to this!

We need action and we need it now!