Momentum gathering for Save Navan Hospital rally

As the countdown begins to Saturday’s mass 'Save Navan Hospital’ rally, local clergy, GP’s, hospital staff, miners, sporting and community clubs as well as schools from all over the county have pledged their intention to attend. Meanwhile, a Navan GP has made a rallying call to the people of Meath to take to the streets of Navan on Saturday and his call has be re-iterated by public representatives throughout the county. Dr Niall Maguire said: “The future of services at Our Lady’s Hospital will be determined by whether or not the people of Meath stand up for themselves. It will be too late to get angry when people are sick and cannot get a hospital bed. We have a small window of opportunity to save Navan Hospital. The time is now, Saturday is D Day for Navan Hospital”. The Save Navan Hospital march starts from the Navan Enterprise Centre at 3.30pm this Saturday and continues around the town, ending with an address by a number of speakers outside the hospital. The organisers are expecting a massive turn out. All the GAA clubs have been contacted and have given their support to the campaign , so too has the Navan Hockey Club, Navan Rugby Club, Athboy Rugby Club, Navan Boxing Club, The MDL, Parkvilla, The Active Retirement Club, Navan Silver Band, Kentstown Silver Band, the Foresters Band, the ICA, Dunderry Fair, Scurloughstown Olympiad, the ICA, the IFA, SIPTU, the INMO and many, others organisations. The Save Navan Hospital Campaign chairperson, Cllr Peadar Tóibín has paid tribute to all the people who have taken a role in the campaign. “This has truly been a community effort. By all accounts this Saturday’s rally will be the largest community based campaign that Meath has ever seen. Many, many people have been working away behind the scenes for weeks investing their own time and money. It is also notable that political parties have set aside their differences and have worked together for the good of our hospital. All that remains to make this campaign a success is for the people of Meath to step up to the mark and play their role. We the people of Meath need to find our voice this Saturday and come out in our thousands at 3.30pm. Bring banners whistles, costumes and colour. Most importantly bring yourself, friends, family and colleagues. I urge the people of Meath don’t let Navan Hospital become a thing of the past.” Chief organiser, Paddy Pryle said: “When this facility is gone it will be gone, with no return possible, so now it is everybody’s responsibility to keep it opened. Do not blame others if it closes, as the blame game will not reopen it. Saturday is one of the rare chances left that we as a community can show or support for this facility. Please do not leave it to others to do your duty for your community, your neighbours and your friends,” he said. Dr Maguire pointed out that the doctors and nurses of Meath were promised in 2007 that no reduction in services would be made at our hospital until such time as a better alternative was available. “Already, frail or ill patients are being refused admission to Navan and face the uncertainty of either being sent home when they should be admitted or being transported long distances, sometimes being passed from one hospital to the next. In the latter case patients finally lie waiting on a trolley because these other hospitals have received no additional support to help them cope. Ambulances are queuing for up to six hours to discharge their ill patients to overcrowded casualty units in Dublin. The sudden downgrading of Navan hospital will cost people in Meath their health and even their lives. The overcrowding in other hospitals will in turn hurt their ability to serve their catchment areas,” he said. Dr Maguire pointed out that the taxpayer will also have to pay for the merry-go-round of ambulances and the longer term cost of delayed treatment. Meanwhile, students of St Paul’s National School have raised €400 for the save Navan Hospital Campaign. All other primary and secondary schools in the area have distributed the Campaign leaflet urging parents of the children to come out on the day. Over 1,300 posters have been printed and posted up around the county from Enfield to Oldcastle. Hundreds of shopkeepers in the county have placed the posters in their front windows. Almost 25,000 leaflets have been distributed around the county. Over 6,000 people have signed up to the Facebook page and 9,000 people have signed the petition and 800 car stickers have been printed.