It all depends on Ottawa producing the money, say prairie people
reacting to Roy Romanow’s recommendations for medicare.
“I’m partially optimistic” about Ottawa coming up with the billions
recommended, said Alex Taylor, chair of the board of the Saskatchewan
Association of Health Organizations. “There will be enough pressure
from the public.”
Taylor said the suggestion of a $1.5 billion fund for rural and remote
health needs will make the job easier for health districts trying to
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recruit, train and retain staff. He also appreciated that Romanow’s
national report left it up to the health districts to decide what
programs and policies will work best for each.
The Saskatchewan health districts had a heads-up on many of the
recommendations, which echoed a report by Ken Fyke commissioned by the
province and released last year. The province is already working on a
telemedicine system, has set up a quality council and is urging the
creation of primary health care teams, all recommendations for rural
citizens in the Romanow report.
Bill Bryant, chair of the board of the Assiniboine Regional Health
Authority, based in Brandon, said the report “will be an asset to us.
“What is disappointing is there is no immediate money.”
Bryant said the issues for his western Manitoba health district include
staffing, money needed to repair or replace buildings and dealing with
the area’s changing demographics.
