Feb 19, 2025 by Sonika Kainth
Dear fellow Ontarians,
With a provincial election coming in a few days, there are a few things we should reflect on regarding health care in our province.
First and most important is that for basic health care and referrals, we all need a family doctor. Yet, 2.5 million of us lack access to one. Jane Philpott and the Primary Care Action Team aim to get everyone a family doctor by the end of 2029 but she is not associated with one party; she is with Ontario Health, and will continue her work regardless of who is voted in.
Since COVID-19 hit, our health-care system has suffered greatly and one in five emergency departments (EDs) have had unplanned shutdowns. That means that people without family doctors who only have the option of going to EDs now have to wait much longer to see a doctor; the average wait-time is now 22 hours. EDs are overflowing, with some patients unfortunately dying while waiting to be seen. Once seen by a doctor, some have had to wait in the ED for 100 hours before being admitted to the hospital, causing bedsores and ulcers.
The closing of EDs is due to a ripple effect. Some of the backlog in EDs is due to the fact other ERs have closed.
While some of the backlog in EDs has become apparent since the COVID pandemic, we must remember that Ontario reduced the number of hospital beds from approximately 35,000 in 1990 to 20,000 in 2020 with no plan of opening more despite our population getting older. We also have very long surgical wait times due to the lack of nurses. Without nurses to assist, surgeries cannot be performed, leading to some surgical rooms being used as storage for equipment instead of giving someone a knee replacement, which would avoid a fall, thus preventing an ED visit.
Beyond increasing capacity and access, the provincial government also should be supporting people with disabilities. Even with a 4.5 per cent increase last July, the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) pays up to $1,368 per month for a person who is single. A poverty line adjusted for people with disability in 2023 recommended a minimum of $3,091 per month, and that’s before two further years of inflation.
So, consider these statistics and the provincial government’s impact on our health-care system when casting your vote. Consider voting for a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) that promotes family doctors, opens up operating rooms, teaches more nurses and pays them better, and increases ODSP. Most local candidates are campaigning; you should be able to see their promotional materials online.
Good luck voting for the provincial government that will truly bring us the health care we all need.
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