TORONTO: A new report indicates that Ontario’s healthcare sector is in a pathetic state, facing challenges from lifestyle diseases, infectious diseases, and zoonotic diseases. The report highlights that long wait times in emergency units and a severe shortage of family doctors are the main issues. It also suggests that population growth is putting immense pressure on the healthcare sector. The report reveals that approximately 300,000 patients abandoned treatment last year due to the increased waiting time in emergency rooms.
Dr. Adil Shamji, the Ontario Liberal Health Critic, states that new findings from a think tank report show a significant increase in wait times for treatment across the province. According to Dr. Shamji, 292,695 patients left emergency centers without treatment in Ontario last year. He alleges that while every Ontario taxpayer pays for access to a family doctor and healthcare when needed, they are not receiving the necessary treatment in life-threatening moments. Dr. Shamji added that appointing more doctors would help alleviate the burden on hospitals.
Meanwhile, the Ontario government has announced that it has reached a new agreement with the province’s doctors. Under the new four-year contract, doctors will receive a 7.3% wage increase over the next three years, in addition to a 10% wage increase in the first year of the agreement. The Ministry of Health stated that the new contract includes investments to encourage family doctors to accept new patients, and policy changes, such as granting more powers to pharmacists, will help ease the pressure on emergency departments throughout the province.
