Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill broke down in tears as she responded to news a cancer patient faces having their treatment stopped due to Covid-19.
The Sinn Féin MLA had to sit down at one point as she answered a question from Jim Allister in the Assembly.
The TUV leader said a 32-year-old woman with a young child had told him her chemotherapy is to be stopped because, as she was told, “choices have to be made”.
Ms O’Neill was clearly emotional as she told the Assembly: “What can you say to that person?”
She paused, before adding: “These are the challenges we are going to have to deal with.”
She then sat down, while Speaker Alex Maskey asked for the Assembly to “take a moment”.
A glass of water and a handkerchief were then passed to the Sinn Féin Deputy by MLA Martina Anderson.
But, Mrs O’Neill stood up again to outline the stark reality facing Northern Ireland thanks to Coronavirus.
She said: “That’s the kind of situation we’re going to have to deal with. That’s the kind of situation staff who work on the frontline are going to have to deal with. And that’s why we have to be mindful of our healthcare workers throughout this period.
“The point Robin (Newton) made about their mental health at the other side of this. This is going to be challenging and there aren’t any good answers.”
However, health chiefs have said essential treatments, like cancer care, are still scheduled to continue during the pandemic. Mr Allister was contacted by a constituent worried about a relative’s cancer treatment on Monday.
The patient said she was led to believe that a chemotherapy session scheduled for next week was likely to be her last.
The Northern Health Trust, which delivers services in Mr Allister’s constituency, said: “We have no current plans to stop chemotherapy treatment.”
Earlier this month, Stormont’s Department of Health said: “Suspect cancer cases and other urgent care will continue, unless advised by the applicable trust.”
.png?w=600)
