SINN Féin's campaign for improved cancer services for the North West gathered pace yesterday (Wednesday) when representatives confronted Health Secretaries on both sides of the border with petitions of protest.

In a co-ordinated action, Sinn Féin members from across the North West gathered in Belfast and Dublin to present a letter and petition to Department of Health Permanent Secretaries Mary Harney and Michael Mc Gimpsey. The party is calling on both Ministers to progress plans to establish a treatment unit in either Letterkenny or Derry which will serve cancer patients both North and South.

In this latest step in its long running campaign, Sinn Féin has again called for the issue of improved cancer resources to be foremost on the agenda of North South Ministerial discussions.

Speaking on Tuesday, West Tyrone Sinn Fein MP Pat Doherty said both health ministers have a joint obligation to address the issue which affects thousands of cancer patients across the North West on a daily basis.

"Given that cancer patients in the North West counties are further removed from access to radiotherapy services than any other region of Ireland, it would have been expected that the establishment of a satellite cancer radiation centre would have been a major priority for both Ministers in terms of ensuring equality of access to these vital services," he said.

Mr Doherty added that the response he has received from Mrs Harney and Mr McGimpsey to date has been 'dismal'.

"While Minister Mary Harney hasn't even bothered to respond to letters I have sent her on the issue, Minister Michael Mc Gimpsey has confirmed that the issue has not even been discussed at a North South Ministerial level and went on to say that 'Specialist regional services for cancer in 'Northern Ireland', including radiotherapy services, are provided by the Cancer Centre at Belfast City Hospital, which opened in March last year. The Cancer centre was developed to meet 'Northern Ireland's' needs with respect to radiotherapy until 2015'.

"Planning and configuration of cancer service provision on an all-island basis would justify an oncology unit for the entire North West instead of very ill patients from this region being forced to undergo the additional burden of repeated and prolonged journeys to the to Belfast, Dublin, Cork and Galway."