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British
Columbia
VANCOUVER —
Straight from the
heart BC Health Minister Shirley Bond spoke with
authority as she addressed an audience of healthcare
experts on May 5 at a BC forum on childhood obesity.
The now trim and fit Ms Bond told the audience that
she, too, was once an overweight child. “You cannot
overestimate the impact — physical, psychological,
emotional — of being a fat child, nor the power
and freedom that comes from being healthy,” she
told delegates. BC is leading the nation with its ActionSchools!
Program as it gets in shape for the 2010 Winter Games.
LD
Hot
Spot
Alberta
CALGARY —
Tempest in a Texas
tea-pot The much-anticipated Alberta symposium
on healthcare produced some interesting ideas, but wasn’t
nearly the earth shattering event if was billed to be.
In fact, Premier Ralph Klein, who has often teased the
nation with his talk of a “third way” of
health reform was not present, as he was suffering from
respiratory problems. Representatives from nine countries
offered little encouragement to the idea of privatization;
some warned it wouldn’t improve efficiency and
would actually be more costly. Meanwhile, across town
the Alberta Friends of Medicare held their own parallel
conference; federal health minister Ujjal Dosanjh was
on hand to ballyhoo the current system. GE
Saskatchewan
REGINA —
Help for addicts
Health Minister John Nilson announced that the
government plans to lavish money to improve addiction
services in response to a study released by the Secretary
on Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment, Graham
Addley. The money will be used to implement many initiatives,
including 24 hour counselling service for its HealthLine,
improved in-patient services and an addictions information
package for schools. The province has been rocked by
rising crystal meth abuse. TJ
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Manitoba
WINNIPEG
— Flesh
eating nightmare Another
case of group A streptococcal disease, associated with
so-called “flesh eating disease” has turned
up in Manitoba, this time in the northern community
of Gods Lake Narrows. So far five cases have been reported
this year, including one leading to death in the Sioux
Valley area of southwestern Manitoba earlier this spring.
The province’s Chief Medical Examiner’s
office says each case was caused by a different strain
of group A streptococcal bacteria, and add that although
the bacteria is common, it very rarely results in severe
disease. HA
Ontario
NORWICH —
Going Dutch
Dr Sheila Basrur, Ontario’s chief medical officer,
has reported the recent outbreak of the rubella virus
in South Western Ontario likely originated in the Netherlands.
The centre of the outbreak is Rehoboth Christian School,
where 60% of the student body is not vaccinated because
of religious convictions. Dr Basur said the infections
probably occurred due to the cross-border traffic between
Norwich and a similar community in Holland. Rubella,
also known as German measles, is highly contagious,
but mostly harmful only to pregnant women and fetuses.
So far 123 cases have been confirmed. JJM
OTTAWA
— Sorry,
try again A new study by the College of Physicians
and Surgeons of Ontario that polled about 22,000 doctors
shows family docs are maxed out, which also leaves many
patients high and dry. Only one in six doctors is accepting
new patients, compared to one in four in a similar 1995
survey. Reasons cited were the fact that younger doctors
aren’t willing to work the same gruelling hours
as older docs, fewer doctors choose family medicine,
and doctors approaching retirement age. Time will tell
how effective the recent government primary care reforms
will be. JJM
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