SINN Féin representatives will meet with the Department of Health next week to explore advice and assistance from international experts on how services for women injured by mesh can be improved.
Local Sinn Féin Health spokesperson Councillor Sandra Duffy said: “Today the Scottish government extended an invitation to US mesh expert Dr Dionysios Veronikis to look at mesh complication services, including possible removal.
“The timely provision of commissioned specialist services for mesh injured women is central to Sinn Fein’s work.
“It is now known that not every surgeon who implants mesh can remove mesh fully and safely. There is an acknowledged global shortage of full mesh removal expertise, with an acute lack of it here in the north of Ireland.
“Looking to international experts to assist in developing this expertise, as Scotland is doing, needs to be considered here.
“Sinn Féin raised this initially with the Permanent Secretary of Health Richard Pengelly in August 2018 and given developments in Scotland we will be pressing Mr Pengelly for the department to take its own action in seeking out international expertise on mesh removal,” she added.
