Calgary family struggling to pay for insulin wants Alberta to support pharmacare
This week’s edition of who is saying what about public health care is compiled by Pat Van Horne.
Calgary family calls on Alberta to strike a deal with Ottawa on pharmacare
“We are racking up credit card debt… We’re kind of choosing medical supplies and medications over Christmas gifts. It’s not a really awesome situation,” said Calgary mother Melissa Mathison, whose two children, ages nine and 12, are living with Type 1 diabetes to CBC, December 3, 2024
CMA calls for more accountability in health care spending
“Canada’s health systems need strong investment in targeted areas that can have a meaningful impact, such as building team-based care, reducing surgical and diagnostic backlogs, eliminating administrative burden and more. . . Canadians deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent and whether or not their money is going where it should and having the impact that we need,” said Joss Reimer, current president of the Canadian Medical Association, to the Hill Times, December 3, 2024
Indigenous health care centre north of Winnipeg helping to bridge gap for everyone
“We see 47 per cent of clients that come in from various areas. Whether the surrounding First Nations or the non-Indigenous. . . We live in poverty. There’s such a lack. We want to bring these services closer to home. There’s a lot of services being offered at this health centre now that aren’t offered on most First Nations,” said Gwen Traverse, health director, Pinaymootang Health Centre, more than 200 km northwest of Winnipeg, in the Interlake area, CBC News, December 3, 2024
Timely access needed for those struggling with addiction
“The province should work closely with service-providing agencies to expand addictions treatment for youth and develop a robust communications strategy to ensure people know where to access those services. That can be done through public awareness campaigns, including in schools, health-care facilities, youth hostels and through front-line service organizations,” stated an editorial by Winnipeg Free Press, December 3, 2024
Writer says Canada’s medical establishment should speak out for health workers in war zones
“The Canadian medical establishment must do much more . . . for every health worker murdered while protecting life, for every hospital bombed, for every tent of families incinerated, for all the Palestinians killed, for the millions being starved, fighting for life, and working hard to rebuild,” said Dr. Kavita Algu, South African-born mother, physician and lecturer at University of Toronto, to the Toronto Star, December 1, 2024
Health care takes back seat to beer sales in Ontario: letter writer
“As a home-care patient since undergoing major surgery in July, I have experienced health supply shortages firsthand. In spite of the best efforts of the dedicated home-care providers it’s been my good fortune to have on my case, they have been hamstrung by the province’s screw-up when the province, in their infinite wisdom, changed their procurement and distribution system. I have experienced either receiving the wrong supplies or not receiving them at all. On behalf of all Ontario home-care patients affected by this incompetence, I can assure you this is a frightening situation. The health minister should be held accountable. We are witnessing corporate pharmacies milk our anorexic health-care dollars to meet their billing quotas on unnecessary procedures, to enhance their bottom lines. It’s quite obvious that health care for Ontarians is taking a back seat to this government’s priorities — beer in convenience stores, ripping out bike lanes, $200 vote purchases costing $3.8 billion in our money and the list goes on. Shame on both of you, Premier Doug Ford and Health Minister Sylvia Jones. Ontario deserves better,” wrote Michelle Simson, Hastings, ON, in the Toronto Star, November 16, 2024
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