MINISTER’S DOWNPLAYING OF HEALTH-CARE CRISIS IS INFURIATING

I recently listened with disbelief to the minister of Health and Community Services Dr. John Haggie as he attempted to downplay the many issues plaguing our health-care system, including a doctor shortage that has left over 98,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians without a family physician.

He indicated that while there are some issues at play, our health-care system is “not in crisis” (hmm … sound familiar?), and that he has a plan to address the gaps.

Interestingly, in a recent access to information request submitted to the Department of Health and Community Services by the NL Medical Association, it was verified that no such plan exists.

Now according to the minister, there are indeed many informal and apparently undocumented plans kicking around his department. Unfortunately, they are apparently jut not available in any documented form. Perhaps they are written on the back of an envelope or on a bunch of post it notes pinned up on the minister’s bulletin board. Who knows?

One thing we do know for sure is that our health-care system is indeed on life support, and if something isn’t done soon, it’s destined to flat line.

If the minister doesn’t want to take my word for it, I suggest he leave the comfort of his office on Confederation Hill and speak to some of the thousands of people without a family doctor, or engage in a conversation with some of our provinces paramedics.

Perhaps he could spend a couple evenings at the emergency department, or talk to some of the people who have been waiting for months to receive medically necessary diagnostic and surgical procedures or to see a specialist. He could also engage in a conversation with staff and family members with loved ones in long-term care, or shadow one of our nurses at their place of work for a few shifts. Perhaps then he will come to the conclusion that many have reached long before COVID-19, that our healthcare system is indeed in crisis.

And while we all look forward to the eventual report that will come from Health Accord NL to address systemic issues within the healthcare system and set us on a new course in the medium to long term, we need some short-term solutions immediately.

However, before we can work on short-term solutions, the first thing we need to do is acknowledge we have a serious problem. Listening to the minister downplay the seriousness of the situation reminds one of Nero playing his violin as Rome burned.

It’s a feeble attempt to minimize these serious matters, and not only is it not helpful, it’s actually infuriating.