Put money into B.C. health system, not U.S. pockets
Do people concerned about the crisis in B.C.’s health care realize that Minister of Health Adrian Dix is spending multi-millions of taxpayers dollars sending people to the United States for treatment instead of putting the money into B.C.’s own health care system? Any person who has had medical treatment in the States realizes that it is a much more expensive system than in Canada and it seems to me to be a shame that there will be a lot of wasted money flowing out of our province to a “for profit” system. The irony is not lost on me that Mr. Dix is setting up a two tiered health system albeit one that benefits another country!
Many health care practitioners have been saying that Bill 36’s government appointed board will drive more health care practitioners out of the province, leaving B.C.’s medical system even further strained. We can no longer afford to lose even one more professional health care worker in B.C. This board will be made up of appointed “friends” of the government without medical background, instead of peers of the various disciplines. These board members will be political appointees with all the baggage and prejudices that come with the appointment. Basically the board will appoint “yes” people for the government and will not serve the people of B.C. in the same way that a peer driven board has done. This is no way to help the health care system in B.C. and no wonder so many health care practitioners are talking of leaving B.C. and moving to a more health friendly jurisdiction.
Also, at the last UBCM, many mayors from the interior of B.C. begged the Ministry of Health to reinstate all healthcare practitioners who had been fired or who had quit due to issues around the vaccination mandate. Many of these interior towns can no longer operate their emergency rooms due to a severe lack of doctors and nurses. The pandemic is over! Reinstate all these health care workers immediately and let us move ahead together. Rehiring these experienced trained workers is a lot quicker and a lot cheaper than retraining workers from outside of B.C. or Canada.
Adrian Dix must realize that the medical system is not his personal fiefdom. He should be representing the health concerns of all B.C. residents. No person needing medical help cares whether Mr. Dix feels thwarted by these professionals. It is time for Mr. Dix to put his ego aside. If he cannot, perhaps Premier David Eby should find another portfolio for Mr. Dix.
Carol Money
Duncan