A CANDLELIT vigil has taken place in Enniskillen calling for services to be restored at the South West Acute Hospital (SWAH).

Hundreds of people took part in a candlelit vigil in Enniskillen to mark two years since emergency general surgery was temporarily suspended.

The event - called Shine A Light - was staged by Save Our Acute Service (SOAS) at the Diamond. 

Following the withdrawal of that service, patients needing acute surgery have been forced to undertake a journey to Altnagelvin Hospital and back – a return trip of more than 100 miles – to receive treatment.

Aside from the vigil, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council had both Enniskillen Castle and the Strule Arts Centre in Omagh floodlit by a yellow light.

Fr. Brian D’Arcy, who is a priest at the Graan, officiated at the vigil along with Rev. Stephen McWhirter. 

Fr. D'Arcy said that the removal of the acute services is part of a wider picture of Fermanagh as a whole being forgotten about.

"We in Fermanagh have basically been forgotten about on many levels – including health," he said. "You only have to look at GP systems throughout the county.

“You can’t even get an appendix removed at, what is, South West Acute Hospital – and it’s still called that.

“So we’re working away trying to speak with, and on behalf of, the people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone. We deserve a much better medical service than the one we’re getting – especially in regard to acute services.

Speaking on the event, Helen Hamill, Secretary of SOAS, said: “Thursday’s event was to mark the two-year anniversary. Last year, we managed to have a short meeting on the Diamond in Enniskillen.

“This year is to give the staff of our hospital an acknowledgement that there is hope and that there is a team fighting for them and that we will be continuing to do the same.

“It’s a very strong message and that’s why the slogan became, ‘Shine A Light For SWAH’.

“There were candles given out to children and people on the evening. There were also people who used their phone.

“The feedback we’ve got and the interest in the event was very humbling. We’ve had people sharing the (social media) thread – we’ve never had so much traction and the videos on our page have collected more than 40,000 views.

“There is a sense of volume in the responses and I think it’s what the frontline staff at the hospital need."