NDP promising $100M for health care to attract hundreds of professionals, if elected
The NDP says it will welcome Alberta doctors and nurses unhappy with their government
The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party will spend $100 million on health care if elected, leader Ryan Meili said.
Meili made the announcement outside the Pasqua Hospital in Regina.
"The pandemic has revealed how important it is to have high quality public health care, to make the investments and do the planning to make sure we're ready," Meili said.
"Sask. party cuts and neglect have undermined health care in our province in these last few years. We've seen wait times grow, wait times for surgery, for diagnostic imaging like MRIs, for mental health and addictions. And in our emergency rooms," he said.
Meili said the Saskatchewan Party cut healthcare in 2017, putting residents at risk. Meili said at the Pasqua Hospital, one person was waiting in the hospital hallways for five days after being admitted and emergency rooms are overcrowded and under-resourced.
"The cuts and neglect in primary care, acute care and long term care were a terrible idea before the pandemic. But now, as we prepare for a second wave, they're downright dangerous," Meili said.
Meili said the party will have a health human resources plan to help staffing in primary, acute and long term care areas of healthcare.
In a release, the party said the $100 million would hire 100 doctors, 150 registered nurses, 300 licensed practical nurses and 500 continuing care assistants.
Meili said the Saskatchewan Party is not alone in its plan to privatise and compared the party to the Alberta Government. Doctors have recently clashed with the provincial government over contract negotiations.
"They have doctors fleeing from that province, especially from rural areas. It will be the same here if Scott Moe and the Sask. party get their way," Meili said.
Meili said under an NDP government, Alberta doctors and nurses can come over to Saskatchewan with open arms.
The health human resources plan would help both urban and rural people and help reopen rural emergency rooms, he said.