Durkan says ‘state of health’ in Derry is ‘not like Beirut: it is worse’
Mark H. Durkan told MLAs this week that the ‘state of health’ in Derry is ‘not like Beirut: it is worse’.
The SDLP MLA referred to how the expected life-span of a poorer man in Derry remains lower than the general life-expectancy, for both sexes, in countries such as Lebanon and Cuba.
He said: “Despite the state-of-the-art cancer services in the north-west, widening health inequalities have hit hard in that highly deprived region.
"The fact that a child in Derry has a life expectancy that is 11 to 15 years shorter than that of a child in a more affluent area is harrowing. The expected lifespan of a man in Derry is lower than one in countries such as Lebanon and Cuba, according to research conducted by the Department of Health.
"The state of health here is not like Beirut: it is worse. It is incredible that, in a place as small as Northern Ireland, there are such disparities across and within council areas.”
Last week the Department of Health’s annual report on health inequalities demonstrated that in 2020-22 female life expectancy in Derry and Strabane’s most deprived areas stood at 78 years – three-and-a-half years less than the district average of 81.5 years.
Male life expectancy in Derry and Strabane’s poorest areas has risen from 71.1 years in 2019-21 to 71.6 years in 2020-22 but remains low.
The report showed how diseases of the poor like drug and alcohol addiction were much more prevalent in the most deprived areas of the city.
Speaking in Stormont on Tuesday Mr. Durkan said: “The largest inequality gap in the Western Trust and other trust areas was in deaths due to drug misuse.
"We see the impact of drug misuse and addiction: the bereaved parents whose lives have been shattered and the individuals feeling that they have nowhere else to turn.
"The escalation both in the severity and volume of cases is heartbreaking. At the moment, far too many vulnerable people fall through the gaps of addiction and mental health support services, and many cross the permeable border daily.
"It is no coincidence that drug-related deaths have trebled in a decade. It is a direct consequence of Tory austerity and failed leadership here.”