Government must act now on health care

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This article was published 22/12/2021 (1382 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba doctors have sounded the alarm to let us know that our ICUs have reached capacity and that we are once again on the verge of sending patients out of province for care.

This is a critical situation which demands action, yet the Stefanson government seems intent on ignoring calls from health experts to do what’s needed. Military aid should have been called in weeks ago, yet the government waited until our system reached a full-blown crisis with more surgeries cancelled.

In some cases, its unwillingness to act seems to be just another bad repeat of the Pallister government’s actions during the third wave.  

Here’s a summary of some key areas where the Stefanson government is refusing to act:

• Making rapid testing kits available to families with school-age children. As we head into the holiday season, families will be gathering and the risks of COVID-19 infection will increase in advance of our return to school in January.

In the interest of minimizing the risk of further spread, as well as the challenges endured by young kids subjected to nasal testing, families with young children should be given easy access to rapid testing if desired.The failure of the Progressive Conservatives to follow the lead of other provinces in this regard is irresponsible and can only be explained by their lack of willingness to invest.

• Increasing public health enforcement. The failure of the Stefanson government to enforce public health orders in areas where case counts are growing has fueled the current crisis in our ICUs, and it  is placing all Manitobans at greater risk given the scarcity of available ICU beds across the province.

Given these issues are occurring mainly within ridings represented by senior PC cabinet ministers, it’s hard not to conclude that their unwillingness act is political.

• Making vaccinations mandatory for staff working in personal care homes. The unwillingness of the PCs to require vaccinations for care-home staff is unconscionable given the tragedies that took place in our personal care homes during the second wave. Care homes take care of our elderly and vulnerable citizens and protecting them from new variants should be a top priority.  

The PCs should stop following Pallister agenda and start prioritizing the health and safety of Manitobans by addressing this health care crisis and taking action on the recommendations outlined above. If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to reach my office at adrien.sala@yourmanitoba.ca, or by phone at 204-792-8779.