“Beloved as it is, medicare has always been endangered,” says Linda McQuaig
This week’s edition of who is saying what about public health care is compiled by Pat Van Horne.
Canada’s health care system in continuous defensive mode
“In an age dominated by billionaires and their extravagance (and idiocy), this unadorned, egalitarian principle of medicare shines like the brightest star in a dark and deranged firmament.
But, beloved as it is, medicare has always been endangered, threatened by those who prefer that the vast health-care field be open for private profit,” wrote Linda McQuaig in column for the Toronto Star, August 1, 2024
Throwing more money at doctors could harm health equity
“Whether it is going to be a success or not is yet unknown, but our goal right now is that no stone will be left unturned when it comes to our effort to recruit,” said Jorge VanSlyke, president and CEO of Blanche River Health, which serves Kirkland Lake Ontario, about incentives to doctors to get them to stay.
“It is a very negative force as far as health equity goes. It creates an unlevel playing field and it is out of a sense of desperation,” said Ian Culbert, executive director of the Canadian Public Health Association, CBC News, August 5, 2024
If you like data, here’s some from Alberta
“Alberta saw 300 more physician registrations in 4 years under the NDP than they have in 5 years under the UCP… out of those 11,756 registered physicians, only 4,095 are registered in family medicine, which works out to be about 1 family doctor for every 1,184 residents… At the end of June 2023, Alberta had 1 family doctor for every 1,195 residents,” said Kim Siever, Alberta Worker, July 26, 2024
Canadian Medical Association still on the fence on public vs. private health care
“We hope to have open, honest dialogue about the reality of our current health system, how to balance public and private models, and the potential implications of corporate influence in health care. . .There must be transparency and accountability, regardless of whether a service is provided by a public or private provider. Crucially, we must ensure that no patient is left behind. The health system must provide timely, equitable care for all—regardless of one’s ability to pay for service,” wrote Drs. Joss Reimer and Kathleen Ross, former presidents of the Canadian Medical Association, The Hill Times, August 5, 2024
A case for independent, not-for-profit hospitals?
“Instead of letting politicians and bureaucrats micromanage facilities from our provincial capitals, we should empower front-line staff with better local control over our health-care facilities,” wrote Emmanuelle B. Faubert, economist at the Montreal Economic Institute in the Toronto Star, August 6, 2024
Toronto area hospital aims to outsource cleaning jobs to private, for-profit suppliers
“Antimicrobial resistant organisms are increasing, which is very distressing, and which means there is more reason to worry about environmental cleaning in hospitals… the model of private companies doing the critical job of hospital cleaning has been shown not to work. So let’s not make that mistake again. I think the evidence shows that it’s better to keep environmental services inside the hospital,” said Dr. Dick Zoutman, retired infectious diseases and medical microbiology specialist, Toronto Star, July 29, 2024
C’mon guys, don’t always blame the poor, beleaguered politicians
“. . .because of the concept of ministerial responsibility, (health ministers) are forced to take the heat and scorn for the mistakes of bureaucrats and health-care workers they, in many cases, have never met. . .the health minister has no control over how many nurses or health workers will be working the graveyard shift on a particular night on a particular ward in a particular hospital. And yet, when something goes wrong during one of those shifts, it’s the minister who is often attacked by opposition politicians, the media and the relevant unions,” wrote Deveryn Ross, political commentator in Brandon, MB, in The Winnipeg Free Press, July 6, 2024
Public health care and migrants rights linked
“Migrants account for roughly 30 per cent of people living with Hepatitis (HCV) in Canada and 70 per cent of those living with hepatitis B. In 2017, a report from the Wellesley Institute estimated that up to 500,000 people in Canada were living without health insurance, primarily due to their lack of citizenship. And with more and more people immigrating since then, we can assume that these numbers have now increased,” said Janet Butler-McPhee, co-executive director of the HIV Legal Network, Anne-Rachelle Boulanger, policy analyst, and Nadia Fyfe, law student at the University of Western Ontario, in The Hill Times, August 6, 2024
State of emergency at Pimicikamak Cree Nation; federal government looks to private sector
“It’s care for profit, and that’s just something that we are just ideologically against… Working conditions are so deplorable at the moment,” said Lynn Ohlson, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada health services to the The Winnipeg Free Press, July 31, 2024
Support the Canadian Health Coalition
