REGINA - According to new data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, Saskatchewan people face the longest average wait times in Canada for knee and hip procedures for the fifth consecutive year.
“Saskatchewan is the birthplace of Medicare. Our families and friends shouldn't have to fly to Calgary just to get a basic surgery done,” said Official Opposition Leader Carla Beck. “After 17 years of Sask. Party mismanagement, it’s long past time to pop the hood and fix our health system from the ground up.”
The Canadian Institute for Health Information’s (CIHI) latest report shows that the median wait time for knee replacements in Saskatchewan last year was 318 days. This is longer than every other province and nearly double the national average of 161 days. The next-worst province, Prince Edward Island, is 286 days. Here’s the median wait time for knee replacements broken down by province:
Saskatchewan also has the longest average wait times in Canada for hip replacements at 232 days. According to CIHI, this is longer than every other province and nearly double the national average of 131 days. Here’s the breakdown for median hip replacement wait times:
“I think it says a lot that this Premier gave a Sask. Party donor a big, fat sweetheart deal to perform surgeries in Calgary. That money should be supporting Saskatchewan hospitals and the healthcare workers working in them, not Sask. Party donors in Calgary,” said Rural and Remote Health Critic Jared Clarke.
The Moe government awarded a Calgary-based-donor a sole source contract to perform knee and hip procedures in Alberta. The out-of-province company has recently donated $14,300 to the Sask. Party.
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I want to wish you and your family a merry Christmas and a happy new year from everyone here at the Saskatchewan NDP Caucus.
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