Province will spend $50M to reduce pandemic-related wait times for surgeries, procedures
Money part of 2021 budget, premier says
The province will spend at least $50 million to reduce wait times for surgeries and procedures that were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic as part of its 2021 budget, Premier Brian Pallister announced Wednesday.
Pallister said the province is facing a serious backlog of surgeries and diagnostic procedures after having to redeploy health care personnel to take care of COVID-19 patients.
"Each delay means a Manitoban that is hurting while they wait and I think for most Manitobans, if they're not waiting themselves, they know someone who is," he said.
Some of this money will be designated specifically for hip, knee and cataract procedures, Pallister said.
Pallister sayd he hopes the money announced Thursday will "make a dent" in the backlog, but said he can't promise that long wait times will be eliminated entirely.
"The number of people who are being diagnosed and treated has been down as a consequence of COVID. As that backlog is addressed, these numbers may shift and change," he said.
"We expect in an upward direction, sadly."
WATCH | Premier Brian Pallister on Manitoba's backlog of medical procedures due to COVID-19
Manitobans deserve more details: NDP
However, opposition NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara said the announcement was sorely lacking in details, and that Manitobans deserve to know how the Pallister government is going to tackle the backlog.
"It's one thing to make an announcement about these resources you say you're going to spend, but it doesn't really instill confidence when there's no clear plan attached to that," Asagwara said.
Asagwara said they have heard from constituents waiting for serious surgeries such as those related to a cancer diagnosis or neurological issues.
"These are incredible important surgeries and in some cases life saving procedures that are being delayed," Asagwara said.
The province's budget will be released next week on April 7.
Asked why he was announcing something included in the 2021 budget ahead of its release, Pallister said he wanted to highlight this particular item.
"There's too much good news in this year's budget, if we released it all in one day, you'd miss half of it," he said.
He also said that more details on the province's plans to address delayed surgeries will be announced after the budget is released.