The State spent over €6 million sending children with respiratory issues abroad for medical treatment, even though the technology used is available here.
Up to thirty children were sent to the UK and Sweden for ECMO treatment over the past six years, according to new figures obtained by RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.
ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) treatment is available at Our Lady’s Children’ Hospital in Crumlin but the machines are currently used for the treatment of cardiac problems, according to the Irish Independent.
The HSE does not fund the use of ECMO machines for respiratory problems, it has confirmed.
Our Lady’s will be applying for HSE funding for this purpose, the hospital said in a statement.
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