Right in the centre - Just waiting for them to die
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- Published on Thursday, September 19, 2024
By Ken Waddell
Neepawa Banner & Press
It鈥檚 not uncommon to have to wait many months or even a year for a CT Scan or an MRI. Even an Ultrasound can take a long time. In spite of all the valiant efforts of health care workers, doctors, nurses and specialists to provide timely diagnostics and treatment, the system is faltering and even failing.
The ultimate fall back position in health care in 水果视频 seems to be 鈥淛ust wait until they die.鈥� And it鈥檚 happening. People are dying while waiting for timely diagnostics and treatment.
There鈥檚 lots of blame to spread around but it is mostly due to a hide- bound system in 水果视频 that clings to the idea that the government has to pay for, ration out and control all things health care. It isn鈥檛 that way in all provinces. In 水果视频 you can鈥檛 鈥渂uy鈥� a CT scan for example. That鈥檚 because the bureaucracy has the politicians convinced that privately paid for health care is in contravention of the Canada Health Act. That鈥檚 obviously bull鈥攖 but it seems no party or politician has the courage to step out and state the obvious. If you can buy privately provided diagnosis in Alberta (and dare I say Quebec), why can鈥檛 we do it in 水果视频?
So, what does it cost to get a CT Scanner like the one many are asking be put in Neepawa鈥檚 new Regional Hospital? Here鈥檚 what the Province of 水果视频 said in a news release about the recently installed CT unit at Swan River. 鈥淭he province provided more than $2 million in capital funding for the purchase and installation of the new CT scanner, as well as renovations of a space at the health-care facility. This was matched by a contribution of more than $1 million from the Town of Swan River and surrounding communities. The province will also provide funding for the operating costs of the CT scanner, approximately $400,000 per year.鈥� So $3 million for the unit?? It鈥檚 interesting to note that an internet search says you can buy a CT unit for $300,000. That makes sense, everything the government buys is at double or triple what it should cost.
Here鈥檚 another telling bit of information. Over 6,000 Canadian trained doctors work in the United States while only 800 US trained doctors work in Canada. That means Canada has paid for a share of the training of over 6,000 doctors but they all left and only 800 came in. That鈥檚 a bad deal that even a bureaucrat should be able to figure out.
The relatively newly elected NDP government says they are running short of money and that likely is true. They have cancelled some projects and certainly show no progress on diagnostics and treatment.
The answer is obvious and that is to open the big grey doors on those buildings that house the bureaucracy and let private investment build diagnostic and treatment capacity. 水果视频ns are driving to Grafton and Grand Forks, North Dakota and reportedly getting tests done in a week or less. Why can鈥檛 we do that in 水果视频.
Because it鈥檚 easier to 鈥淛ust wait for them to die鈥� than to break out of stupidly reasoned traditions. 水果视频 is so hide-bound in mediocrity and tradition that it鈥檚 not only killing innovation, it鈥檚 killing people.
Let private investment for an MRI, CT Scan or any other equipment that will improve the health of our people.
Not only will people die with the 鈥淛ust wait for them to die鈥� method, the province and its healthcare system will die as well.
People have money, let them invest it. Many years ago, a man I knew was desperate to get his wife the back surgery she badly needed. They were told by their 水果视频 specialist that she would be wheel-chair bound before she would get surgery in 水果视频. The man put a mattress in their mini-van, drove her to the Mayo Clinic and she had her surgery within three days. She recovered and went back to work in the family farming business. One neighbour noted that farmer usually bought a new combine every few years, but wouldn鈥檛 be able to do that now. The farmer鈥檚 answer was direct. He said, 鈥� I don鈥檛 care if I never have another new combine, I have my wife back.鈥�
Let鈥檚 turn to private investment, even if it鈥檚 just in diagnostics. We have nothing to lose but a few bureaucrats who will be proven wrong very quickly.
