Dept of Health slammed over treatment of MRSA families
Relatives of people who have died after contracting MRSA have slammed their treatment by the Department of Health.
A delegation of people affected by the antibiotic-resistant 'superbug' made a submission to the Oireachtas health committee today about their experiences.
Spokesperson Margaret Dawson told the committee that these people were "being left to suffer without any support, adequate information or proper guidelines from this Government".
The Oireachtas health committee is currently examining measures that can be taken to prevent the spread of MRSA within hospitals and care homes.
A hygiene audit published last week highlighted serious deficiencies in cleanliness at several major Irish hospitals.
Regular hand-washing and impeccable hygiene standards are widely regarded as the best way to combat the spread of MRSA and other similar illnesses.
A professor at the Irish College of General Practitioners told the committee today that the Government should also make it mandatory for all MRSA cases to be reported to a statutory authority.
"This is an appalling human tragedy," Dr Ronan Fawsitt said. "It is going to get worse unless we do something about it."
