The battle against other deadly diseases cannot be halted

The NHS is currently engaged in a day-to-day battle with Covid-19 and it is understandable that saving lives from this deadly virus is its number one priority.

However, it is also undeniable that the battle ordinary people are waging against other deadly diseases, including cancer and heart disease, goes on. This was laid out in very stark terms yesterday by the leading voices in two cancer charities in Northern Ireland.

We are all by now very familiar with how important early diagnosis is when it comes to treating cancer. A failure to diagnose in the early stages of the disease, and consequently deliver early treatment, is often catastrophic. This very point about early diagnosis was reinforced by Cancer Focus chief executive Roisin Foster, who warned that cancers may become further advanced as a consequence of later diagnosis.

This is a deeply troubling scenario for thousands of people across Northern Ireland who are awaiting diagnosis, and for whom every minute counts in terms of receiving treatment.

As more detail emerges every day about the severity of the Covid-19 situation in Northern Ireland, so thought must be given to other diseases. As this newspaper reported on Thursday, some 49% of acute hospital beds across NI are currently lying empty. The surge predicted by health experts here has, as yet, not been as severe as expected. Hopefully the number of Covid-19 cases here continues to be below the levels expected and, as Action Cancer CEO Gareth Kirk says, this could allow patients to resume normal hospital treatments “as soon as possible”.

This would certainly offer reassurance to those people who need a diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible.