过万馀癌症病患与治疗失之交臂

上週资料显示，维州新的综合癌症中心 (VCCC) 成立至今，仍有超过半层楼空置无人使用的情况。

这一切皆因州长 Daniel Andrews即使在民间捐款到位的情况下，也要强行禁止为私人病患设立全新的癌症病房。 也由于禁止建设额外 42 张癌症病床，每年除了有超过万馀的癌症病患与医院的治疗失之交臂，而空置的半个楼层，每年更耗费纳税人超过 723,000 澳币的高昂费用支付租金。

屋漏偏逢连夜雨，在政府强行禁止成立私人癌症病床后，癌症中心的捐款人因政府违背承诺，他们异口同声的撤回原本承诺的捐赠，造成医院损失捐款高达 4,000 万澳币。

这笔为数众多又高额的捐款原将投入于医疗设施和癌症研究，让维州的医疗可更上一层楼，而如今一切都已成昨日黄花。

Andrews 州长意识形态的决定不但让维州医疗再次进步失去宝贵的机会，在国际上，对维州医学研究和治疗的名声与声誉更造成了严重的损害。 真是何苦来哉?

英文版/ English version

10,000 cancer patients miss out on treatment

It was revealed last week that there is still a half-empty floor at the new Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) because Premier Andrews banned a new cancer ward for private patients.

An estimated 10,000 cancer patients are missing out on treatment each year because of the ban, which stopped an extra 42 cancer beds being built at the hospital. Rent on the half-empty floor is costing the government more than $723,000 a year.

As well, $40 million in donations have been lost because donors withdrew their promised donations after the private cancer ward was banned. The money from these donations would have been used for research and extra facilities.

This ideological decision by Premier Andrews has done huge damage to Victoria’s international reputation for medical research and world class treatment.