News Release
Office of the Official Opposition

   

 

Jones pleased with dialysis announcements

March 1, 2006

Yvonne Jones, Opposition Health Critic and MHA for the District of Cartwright-L’Anse au Clair, welcomes today’s announcement for a dialysis unit at the Charles S. Curtis Memorial Hospital in St. Anthony and the Burin Peninsula Health Care Centre.

Residents of the northern peninsula, southern Labrador and the Burin peninsula have been fighting for a dialysis unit for the past number of years. With the recent announcement of a dialysis unit for Happy Valley-Goose Bay, the public outcry for dialysis services in St. Anthony and the Burin peninsula has grown steadily.

"The establishment of dialysis services in St. Anthony and Burin is welcome news and I am pleased government listened to the people," said Ms. Jones. "There were many heartbreaking stories coming from patients requiring dialysis services in these areas, and government did the right thing by listening to the people and providing this service.

"While the announcement of these dialysis units has been made, I will continue pressuring government to ensure these services are offered as quickly as possible. It is not acceptable to delay the establishment of these units for months, it must move forward immediately. Dialysis patients on the northern peninsula, Labrador and the Burin peninsula need this service now and I will continue to monitor this process to ensure government is not dragging its feet. I also call upon government to make the appropriate investment in new staffing requirements to ensure these new dialysis units can be run efficiently and effectively."

 

Media Contact:
Darrell Mercer
Director of Communications
Office of the Official Opposition
709-729-6151 or 709-687-0477