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Our medical system is getting worse

While visiting my doctor the other day, I saw something that is typical in all too many medical clinics across Canada. I’m referring to the shortage of doctors, which is growing worse with each passing month. Yes, I mean each month, not years.
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While visiting my doctor the other day, I saw something that is typical in all too many medical clinics across Canada. I’m referring to the shortage of doctors, which is growing worse with each passing month. Yes, I mean each month, not years.

Normally at this clinic there are three doctors. My doctor is away on holidays (deservingly) and a retired physician is filling in for him. The second doctor has recently retired and the third only comes in part-time. I’m guessing that each doctor in the clinic would take care of approximately 2,000 people and normally, a clinic of three would be able to serve 6,000. But with one retired and one working part-time, this clinic is only able to take care of maybe half that amount. This means that 3,000 people are without proper medical care.

The doctor I spoke to informed me that two doctors from this area have recently quit their practice here and will be practising in Nova Scotia. So, three more doctors are gone! Our situation has once again taken a turn for the worse. Why aren’t more Canadian doctors being generated?

We seem to be attracting doctors from other countries. Countries, I might add, that are in a lot more dire need of doctors than we are.

Why is our present government burying their heads in the sand, when it comes to our medical system? And why isn’t PharmaCare being more aggressively addressed? The price of prescriptions is almost off the scale, especially for low-income families and retirees. Their choice? Pay the price and live in substandard conditions or face death at an early age.

Ron Gobeil

Parksville