HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-08-19, Page 6Page 6 - Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, August 19, 2009
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Proprietor and published by Bowes Publishers, P.O. Box 220, 120 Huekins Street, Goderich, Ontario N7A 4B6
EDITORIAL
More than funding required
to fix health care system
There should be no surprise that a health-care action plan
drafted by Canada's premiers five years ago is drawing flak.
Despite all the fanfare in 2004 after the premiers adopted the
10 -year plan to strengthen Canada's health-care system, it seems
that little has changed. Certainly, problems persist.
Almost every premier will point to health care successes in
their own little fiefdoms, but the same problems that dogged our
cherished national system five years ago persist today.
Many jurisdictions are still woefully short of family doctors
and the country needs another 16,000 nurses. Canadians still
rely on their own personal finances, or company benefit pro-
grams, to pay for their pharmaceuticals. Emergency rooms
remain clogged. Patients are still waiting agonizing weeks for
diagnostic scans to learn if they have cancer. Rural and northern
communities are concerned about their access to services.
We still lack an efficient electronic health records system.
Yet we continually spend more.
According to Statistic's Canada, the federal government, prov-
inces and territories will spend a combined $121 billion on
health care this year alone, which represents an increase of 28
per cent since 2005.
If anything, the issue demonstrates that the old solution of
throwing money , at a problem is incredibly ineffective in our
health care system today. All of the benefits of state-run, public-
ly -financed health care are offset by an onerous, bureaucratic,
bloated and rather expansive system.
What is needed is true systematic change that will ensure
every dollar invested in our health care system benefits the
patients it is intended to serve.
It's inexcusable that patients have to wait to find out if they
have a potentially fatal disease.
It's mind boggling that people can wait more than a year to
have life -altering surgeries like hip and knee replacements.
The health system simply has to be better. But that will require
a massive effort on the part of every stakeholder involved in the
system — including politicians, bureaucrats, administrators, doc-
tors, nurses, support staff, unions, patients — to accept the fact
that some changes are necessary, and they won't all be pleas-
ant.
What is clear today, is that the status quo is simply not a viable
option.
It is failing, and the sooner that Canadians accept that fact and
address it, the sooner we will be able to find a solution and the
better off we'll all be. (Sun Media)
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Glad Days a success in Goderich
To the Editor,
On behalf of Epilepsy Huron -Perth, I would like to
take this opportunity to extend my gratitude and ap-
preciation to the community for their participations
during the recent Glad Day Campaign in Goderich.
Special thanks to our coordinators John and Judy
Van Beers and the volunteers who work so diligent-
ly year after year. Thank you also to the Wal Mart,
Zehrs, Suncoast Mall and LCBO and Foodland in
Bayfield for graciously allowing us to sell on their
premises. Heartfelt thanks to all those who pur-
chased gladiolus, raffle tickets or made a donation
during this campaign.
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological
disorders affecting members of our community. The
The Goderich Signal -Star.
published every Wednesday at Goderich. Ontario is one of The
Signal -Star Publishing Gmup of Community Newspapers, a division
of Bowes Publishers. The Goderich Signal Star shall not be liable for
failure to publish an ad for typographical errors in publication
except to the extent of the cost of that portion of the ad in which the
error occurred The Goderich Signal -Star reserves the right to reject
or edit any advertisement.
The Goderich Signal -Star is a proud member of the Canadian
Community Newspapers Association (CCNA) and The Ontario
Community Newspapers Association (OCNAi.
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