The family of a four-year-old boy who is currently battling cancer, is being pursued by a debt collection agency on behalf of the HSE over unpaid medical bills.

According to the Our Children's Health campaign, it is just over two months since the Government committed to reforming the medical card system, yet ‘zero progress' has been made.

As a result, the same basis for assessment remains and ‘this system continues to deem a substantial number of children with very serious life-limiting and life-threatening conditions ineligible'.

The campaign is working to ensure that any child diagnosed with a serious illness or congenital condition is entitled to a full medical card for the duration of their illness. However it said that in the last two weeks alone, it is aware of five children battling cancer who have been refused medical cards.

"The hurt and distress caused by each refusal should not be underestimated and we are also aware of a substantial number of parents that simply don't have it in them to apply again until the promised changes are implemented for fear of yet another refusal.

"As one parent of a little boy with muscular dystrophy remarked to us this week, having been refused twice in recent months, ‘the thoughts of filling out that form again makes me feel sick'. Her son's condition is ultimately terminal," the campaign noted.

It said that this week it had learned of the case of a four-year-old battling life-threatening cancer, whose family has been waiting five months for a medical card.

"Following admissions to their local hospital as their son fought low immunity and infection, large bills mounted up. Believing that they would receive a medical card soon and not having the money to pay, the bills are now overdue. This family are now being pursued by a third party debt collection agency on behalf of the HSE as they enter the most difficult part of their son's treatment," it explained.

It added that this family is ‘struggling to get by'.

"The system once again shows that it does not understand, cater for, or support such children and their families. The mother contacted us for advice in desperation. Is this what we are reduced to in 2015 Ireland after all we have been through?"

Over 63,000 people have signed an online petition about this topic, and this is due to be presented to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health in the coming weeks. To sign the petition or for more information on the campaign, click here.

See also our past feature on the establishment of Our Children's Health here