Investments in health care have made Saskatchewan’s health system stronger

The following is a response to Vicki Mowat’s Op-ed, “Closing essential rural health infrastructure a mistake” which appeared in the June 4 edition of the Southwest Booster.

First, we want to thank the health care professionals and frontline workers across Saskatchewan who have worked diligently to keep residents safe, not only during the pandemic event but every day.

We would also like to thank Saskatchewan residents for doing their part to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

This has been a challenging time, without a doubt. The Government of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) developed a plan to prepare for the worst during this pandemic. There were difficult decisions, including temporarily closing emergency rooms to prepare for alternate level of care sites in Arcola, Biggar, Broadview, Davidson, Herbert, Kerrobert, Lanigan, Leader, Oxbow, Preeceville, Radville and Wolseley.

We emphasize temporarily.

While pandemic surge capacity continues to be vital to ensuring Saskatchewan residents get the care they need when they need it, re-opening dates have already been announced for the emergency rooms in Arcola, Biggar, Davidson, Herbert, Kerrobert, Leader, Oxbow and Preeceville. The SHA is working on resumption planning for Broadview, Lanigan, Radville and Wolseley.

We depend on our health facilities throughout the province to help our family and friends in their time of greatest need and it is these services that the Government of Saskatchewan has supported with record investments in capital and health human resources.

There were more than 16,000 nurses practising in Saskatchewan in 2019 – about 4,000 more than in 2007. There are an additional 700 full-time equivalent care providers working in long-term care facilities since 2007. The number of licensed physicians increased 51 per cent between 2007 and 2020, representing nearly 900 more doctors. While we face recruitment and retention challenges, our government has made this issue a priority throughout our tenure.

Our record for capital investment in health care speaks for itself: between 1994 and 2007, $740.5 million was invested. Between 2007 and 2020, our government invested $1.7 billion. This includes the construction of nine new regional and community hospitals across the province since 2007. The Government of Saskatchewan’s $7.5 billion, two-year capital plan to stimulate the province’s economic recovery from the impact of the COVID19 pandemic includes new capital funding of more than $200 million for health infrastructure across the province.

We stand on our record of investments in health care. We stand with Saskatchewan residents who want the best care possible close to home.

Together, we remain Saskatchewan strong.

Jim Reiter - Minister of Health Warren Kaeding - Minister Responsible for Rural and Remote Health

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