News
Durkan Calls For Improved Muscular Dystrophy Services
SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan has called on the Health Minister, Edwin Poots, to implement the recommendations of the McCollum Report into treatment of Muscular Dystrophy.
Mr. Durkan said:
I have had the humbling experience of listening to helpless parents of the effects of Muscular Dystrophy on their children who are prone to Duchenne, a very serious form of the disease.
Not only have they a much reduced life expectancy but not enough is being done to ease their suffering or their parents stress.
Families have pointed to England, Newcastle in particular, where superior services and treatments increase the quality as well as the quantity of years Muscular Dystrophy sufferers have.
This report underlines the need for vastly improved services here in Northern Ireland and makes its recommendations as to how this can be done. These include the vital and urgent need for specialist multidisciplinary care and the improvement of transition care as children move into adulthood.
The SDLP recognise the very serious and rare complications people suffer as a result of Muscular Dystrophy and urge the Minister to support this report's recommendations in order to provide specialist care to alleviate this suffering.
ENDS
5.11.12
Further information:
SDLP Press Office 028 9052 1364
Bi linn ar leas na hEireann - www.sdlp.ie
