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Quebec
MONTREAL
— Supersize moi The University
of Montreal's superhospital plans could be on track after they closed a land deal
with CP. The university purchased a railway yard on the northern border of the
well-heeled borough of Outremont. Critics argue the transaction will force Quebec
Health Minister Philippe Couillard's hand in choosing where to erect the much-anticipated
French language teaching superhospital — either its originally-proposed downtown
location, or in Outremont, which is nearer to the University of Montreal campus.
The Quebec government, however, insists the CP land purchase will have no bearing
on its decision. DB QUEBEC
— Breast cancer travails Dr
Elizabeth Maunsell, of Laval University, has published a ground-breaking study
on breast cancer survivors and job discrimination in the December 15 issue of
the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Dr Maunsell and her colleagues
surveyed a diverse group of breast cancer survivors living in Quebec to see how
they fared in the workforce three years after surgery. Anecdotal evidence suggested
some cancer survivors experienced discrimination due to their illness. But after
comparing data with a group of women without breast cancer, the researchers came
to the double-edged conclusion that breast cancer survivors experienced no more
discrimination than other women. DB New
Brunswick
SAINT JOHN —
The Community Autism Centre felt the spirit of giving when the NB government announced
it would bail the troubled centre out with a cash injection of $80,000. The funding
boost is the result of a partnership between the health ministry and the department
of Training and Employment Development, which contributed the lion's share, $50,000.
The money will go towards hiring another staff member and improving services.
The centre serves about 500 families in the region and provides socialization
training for autistic kids as well as help and support for doctors, carers and
teachers. TT (For more on autism funding see "Supreme Court rules BC gov't not
obliged to pay for pricey autism treatment" on page 19) Nova
Scotia
HALIFAX —
Brainiacs converge Continuing its
groundbreaking research into the repair of brain injuries, the Halifax-based Brain
Repair Centre hosted an international Brain Imaging Workshop in early December.
Delegates explored the application of MRI to the deciphering of brain patterns
in real time. The centre's mandate is to understand and ultimately cure a variety
of brain ailments via neural transplantation of stem cells, neuroimaging and protection
of the brain from deterioration. BH
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HALIFAX
— Transplant program re-transplanted
After a three-year hiatus, liver transplants have resumed at the QEII Health Science
Centre. For the past three years, Atlantic Canadians needing a new liver have
journeyed to London, ON. But the hiring of qualified surgeons and equipment acquisitions
have put the NS program back on track. Currently 50—60 Atlantic Canadians
are awaiting liver transplants. "Now we just have to wait for a donor," said cirrhotic
liver patient Bill Brewster, 61, optimistically. BH Prince
Edward Island
SUMMERSIDE —
Kudos for Kay The executive director
of Prince County Hospital, Kay Lewis, got a pleasant surprise during a recent
family visit to North Carolina. She learned that she'd received the prestigious
Institute of Public Administration (IPAC) award, the PEI Lieutenant Governor's
award for excellence in public administration. The honour recognizes outstanding
contributions in public administration on a sustained basis. Ms Lewis, who was
lauded by Premier Pat Binns, Lieutenant Governor J Léonce Bernard and other
dignitaries for her accomplishments and devotion to Islanders, said healthcare's
been a lifelong passion. BW Newfoundland
ST JOHN'S — Don't
sign me up Newfoundland's health ministry is having trouble finding physicians
willing to participate in a new government-run methadone clinic in the provincial
capital. Currently only one physician in the entire province prescribes methadone
to recovering addicts. He's located in Grand Falls-Windsor, over 400km away from
St John's, and he sees over 100 patients a month. Newfoundland has been battling
rising OxyContin addiction and the methadone program could help many addicts kick
the habit. CS The Territories
IQALUIT, NU — Comparatively
grim This year's Nunavut Report on Comparable Health Indicators has some
grim facts for Nunavut. Life expectancy in the territory is 10 years lower than
the Canadian national average and infant mortality rates are three times higher.
Nunavut has the highest rate of smokers in the country and a lung cancer rate
four times the national average. Tuberculosis and colorectal cancer rates are
also higher, but the sliver of a silver lining was that breast cancer, heart disease,
stroke and diabetes rates are still low compared to the rest of Canada. JG YELLOWKNIFE,
NT — A bit in the red The
Stanton Territorial Health Authority finished the 2003-04 fiscal year with a bang.
Their operating costs were just $168,162 over budget. That's good news for Stanton
Territorial Hospital. Costs at the 104-bed Yellowknife hospital increased in some
areas due to increased traffic, but they managed to save money in other areas.
The hospital receives most of its budget from NWT, but also from Nunavut for patients
crossing the border for treatment. JG
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