The Asociación Pitiusa de Ayuda a Afectados por el Cáncer (Apaac) has welcomed the arrival of a new oncologist, Hernán Rodríguez Montani, at Hospital Can Misses. With this appointment, the hospital’s Oncology Department now has four specialists, still some way short of the seven positions the association says are needed.
“We are very pleased and we highly value the arrival of this new oncologist at Can Misses”, says Maribel Martínez, president of Apaac. She notes that despite the seven oncology posts authorised by the Balearic Government for the Ibiza hospital, until now only three oncologists were in place, a situation she describes as “the bare minimum”. “We have hope with the new hospital manager”, Martínez explains. “We know he is doing everything possible, not only in oncology but across all specialties, to recruit more staff”, she adds. From the association, she says, “we are hopeful that in the short term — rather than the long term — there will be further new appointments”.
The expansion of the Oncology Department remains one of Apaac’s main demands. “Three doctors cannot adequately attend to all the patients”, Martínez stresses. “It is essential to increase staffing levels”. The president insists that oncology patients should not suffer as a result of staff shortages. “When you have a check-up scheduled and it is delayed by a month, or two months pass and even three months go by without a call, it causes enormous anxiety for patients, and it should not happen”, she explains. For this reason, and “to avoid overburdening doctors”, Apaac is calling for an increase in the number of oncologists. “With six oncologists, we would be satisfied”, she concludes.