In a report in Austurfrétt on the status of tunnel issues in East Iceland (They say the Fjarðarheiðarganga assumptions have failed with the 2023 tunnel plan - Austurfrétt), comments made at an open meeting in Seyðisfjörður last week are reported. Eyjólfur Þorkelsson, Director of Medicine at the East Iceland Health Institute, is quoted as saying that "the most important aspect, which is health care, has been overlooked and it is not in Neskaupstaður."
That statement does not stand up to scrutiny.
Neskaupstaður has a strong health care system and is also home to the East Iceland District Hospital. The website of the East Iceland Health Institute clearly states that health care is provided in Neskaupstaður with medical services, nursing, emergency services and a variety of support services. To claim otherwise is simply wrong and undermines the professional and reliable service that is provided there daily.
It is perfectly normal for opinions to differ on issues of governance in East Iceland. This can and should be discussed with firmness and logic. But when the discussion concerns healthcare, one of the cornerstones of society, we must exercise special responsibility in our choice of words. Due to his position, the Director of Medical Services has a strong obligation to speak accurately and avoid statements that may create suspicion towards an activity that enjoys the trust of the population.
The health service in Neskaupstaður is not only present, it is the backbone of services for a large part of East Iceland. There is also a district hospital there that plays a key role in emergency and specialist care. To downplay that service by suggesting that it does not exist, whether intentionally or hastily, can undermine trust, create unnecessary anxiety and affect the staff who do important work there.
Another thing is that transportation and healthcare are closely related. It is obvious that shorter and safer distances to and from hospitals and healthcare strengthen the services as a whole. Regardless of which tunnels become a reality in the future, the organization of healthcare in East Iceland will take into account changed accessibility and transportation. That is how it has always been. Transportation and service organization develop together.
The good and robust service provided in Neskaupstaður is no obstacle in that regard. On the contrary, it is a solid foundation that can be built on when circumstances change. The East Iceland Health Institute will, as before, need to adapt its services to the actual transportation, residential patterns and needs of the residents at any given time.