People without contraception coverage may forgo it to pay for housing or groceries, say sexual health advocates
This week’s edition of who is saying what about public health care is compiled by Pat Van Horne.
Some are choosing the cheapest contraception option, rather than the kind that works best for them
“That’s where people are at: ‘I can’t afford this pill, but maybe I’ll just get condoms … at least I can make my bills…. We cannot lose sight of what continues to remain a core principle of Canadian identity, which is a universal healthcare system,” said Debbie Owusu-Akyeeah, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights to The Guardian, September 24, 2025
Increase in Manitoba doctors, but recruitment and staffing still needed
“Recruitment alone will never be enough if the province cannot keep the doctors it attracts. That requires improving workplace conditions in hospitals and clinics, and reducing burnout by addressing staff shortages. . . Manitobans deserve a health-care system that is stable, sustainable and accessible. Gains in recruitment are encouraging, but they must be matched with long-term strategies that ensure the doctors who come — and those who train here — remain part of the health system for decades to come,” according to an editorial by the Winnipeg Free Press, September 23 2025
Could robot nurses help with the nursing shortage?
“You can look at the hospitals in Hong Kong: very crowded and everywhere is very narrow, so it doesn’t really allow robots to travel around,” said public health professor Rick Kwan, associate dean at Tung Wah College in Hong Kong, to CNN Business, September 12, 2025. He added, “Hospitals are designed around human needs and systems, and if robots are to become central to the workflow, this will need to be reimagined in hospital design going forward.”
Secret bidding war for enticing emergency docs to Northwest Territories hospital
“We certainly run the risk that if we continue this race and this bidding war, we’re going to turn emergency medicine into a gig economy, like Uber,” said Aimee Kernick, president of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, to the Globe and Mail, September 22, 2025
Study says about 430,000 Quebecers left Emergency Departments without being treated
“These patients are not leaving because they feel better, but because the system is failing them… Thousands of Quebecers are being denied access to care each year,” said Emmanuelle B. Faubert, economist with the Montreal Economic Institute, CTV News, September 18, 2025
Want to get to a southern hospital faster? Get an airplane
“There are multiple companies that do come up here to provide those services. However, all of them are [based] in the south . . .Whenever a call goes out for a medevac, it’s not uncommon that the patient will only get the medical attention that he or she needs in seven or eight hours. With the new service, we can have the patient in Montreal in about two hours or less. . . Once we establish the base here, it will be 100 per cent Cree-owned. One day, we hope we will have 100 per cent Cree pilots as well,” said Chisasibi Cree Nation Operations Director Barry Bearskin to CTV News, September 18, 2025
BC mayor has plan to make primary care docs municipal employees
“As an employee, we want you to be a doctor 100 per cent of the time. No more administration, we’ll look after this. We’ll look after hiring your medical office assistants. We will give you a salary, a fixed salary. We will give you benefits, all the benefits,” Kobayashi said. “I’ve got to make sure I’m not breaking the Canada Health Act or the B.C. Medical Act,” said Doug Kobayashi, mayor of the Vancouver Island community of Colwood, BC, to CBC, September 21, 2025
Ontario doctors ink four-year agreement with province for increased compensation and pay for administrative work
“We had a lot of people who were questioning or hesitating really committing to setting up a full family practice, and now seeing this model, we’re hoping that they will see that this is something that is financially viable,” said Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman, president, Ontario Medical Association, to Global News, September 18, 2025
