Roger Sowry National Health Spokesperson
14 May 2002
Who is right over cancer treatments in Australia?
The Government has contardicted Mid Central Health saying it is able to send cancer patients to Australia for radiation
treatment.
"Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia told Parliament that cancer treatment centres outside Auckland, Waikato and
Wellington had not been excluded from sending patients to Australia for radiation treatment," Health Spokesperson Roger
Sowry said today. .
"The Associate Minister seems blissfully unaware that the Ministry of Health has written to Mid Central Health refusing
its request to send patients to Australia for the treatment.
"We need to know who is right here. If the Minister is now saying that Mid Central Health can send patients to Australia
for treatment then that is good news as there is no reason why all the North Island patients serviced by this centre
should be prevented from having this opportunity.
"Today cancer patient Ann Ward has been bumped up the waiting list for treatment after National bought attention to her
case. We want to know why Stratford patient Jenny Gower waited more than 18 weeks for treatment, and while waiting
needed a second operation which her surgeon said wouldn't be necessary if she had the treatment within the four week
clinical guideline," Mr Sowry said.
Ends