“We are aware of the work that is being done to bring oncologists, but there is still a long way to go and it’s too long for cancer patients”, says Maribel Martinez, president of the Pitiusa Association for Cancer Patients (Apaac) after leaving a recent meeting with the Balearic Minister of Health, Patricia Gómez. The meeting was also attended by the manager of the Health Area of Ibiza and Formentera, Carmen Santos, and the medical director, Sheyla Sironvalle, as well as representatives of the cancer associations of the Pitiusas: Ibiza y Formentera Contra el Cáncer (IFCC), Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (AECC), Elena Torres, Asociación de Cáncer Metastásico, Associación de Pares de Nins amb Càncer de Balears (Aspanob) and Associació d’Ajuda al Malalt Desplaçat de les Illes Balears (Asamdib).
“We want to make health policy and not politicize certain diseases”, says the councilor around two o’clock in the afternoon, after the meeting, held in the old Can Misses. “The service is guaranteed, although it is true that not in the way we would like with the complete staff”, recognizes the head of the Health Department in the Balearic Islands before remembering that the situation in the Oncology department at the moment after the departure of two specialists, is the same as “at other times with other services”. “It is happening all over Spain,” continues Gómez, who assures that the objective of the meeting is to “reassure and transmit confidence” to those affected and that the associations explain to her what specific situations are causing them the most concern.
Oncologist positions will be filled
“Our desire is to have stable staff as quickly as possible,” says the councilor, who for the moment does not know when the oncologist from Son Llàtzer, who has filled the position vacated by the former head of the service, will join Can Misses. The intention of the Health Department is that, although she has a period of one month from the publication of the appointment, she will do so as soon as possible. Apparently, the oncologist has communicated that she will start at Can Misses when she has said goodbye to her patients on Mallorca.
The associations remind us that at the moment, Can Misses has only one full-time oncologist and another at 75% , a situation that has forced the suspension of face-to-face visits on Formentera with care being by specialists from the hospitals of Son Llàtzer and Son Espases. “The ideal situation is to have the five oncologists on staff,” says the head of Apaac, who regrets that the situation, since the problems began at the beginning of the year, has been worsening. The president of Apaac recognizes the effort being made, but insists on the importance of patients not being attended by a different oncologist each time. “There is an emotional factor that is very important,” she concludes.
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