WA health budget can afford the wigs for cancer patients again

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDJun 6 2010

Dr Ananya Mandal, MD

The West Australian government had withdrawn funds allotted for wigs for cancer patients at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Cancer patients typically lose their hair during therapy. The measure was undertaken to cut costs and hads been severely criticized by the opposition.

Opposition spokesman Roger Cook called this measure “cruel, heartless and inexcusable”. He said, “This is the cruelest form of budget cut possible…Cancer treatment can cause many types of appearance-related side effects, but one of the most devastating is hair loss….For women, especially, this can be a traumatizing and heartbreaking experience…Cancer patients are already going through the hardest time of their life…Now, as the physical effects of their treatment start occurring, they will be worried about whether they can afford to purchase a wig.”

As a savings measure Health Minister Kim Hames announced that the decision was being overturned and the $160 vouchers were being made available again. He added that it was unfair and the savings would have been less than $20,000. Fremantle Hospital had taken a similar step few years back. They were also asked to start giving out the vouchers again.

“People who have cancer are in a very difficult and delicate condition and it's hard enough on them already without adding this extra burden,” Dr Hames said. He added apologetically that, “I do have a recollection of a briefing note well into last year but I have to say I don't recall what that briefing note said . . . and whatever it was is irrelevant, in my view…It doesn't hurt the government for the sake of $20,000 in a year to provide that little bit of assistance.” He also assured that government funding structure has improved and such measures need not be resorted to in future.