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British Columbia
VANCOUVER
— Meningitis hits the West Health
officials in British Columbia are warning gay men about a meningococcal C disease
outbreak that has infected six gay men in Vancouver, three of whom have since
died. Health agencies across BC are offering free vaccinations. Dr Patricia Daly,
a medical health officer with Vancouver Coastal Health, urges gay men to exercise
caution until they are vaccinated because though the disease can affect both men
and women, so far the outbreak has been confined to the male homosexual community.
LD FORT
ST JOHN — Northern MDs helping
students A group of warm hearted docs in Fort St John are reaching deep
within their own pockets and donating $100,000 for financial aid to Northern BC
med students. The students are enrolled in the Northern Medical Program —
a new partnership between the University of Northern British Columbia and UBC
that will train doctors in the North in the hope they'll stay and set up their
practices in the region. LD VICTORIA
— New BC Health Minister With
a provincial election only five months away, Premier Gordon Campbell's cabinet
just underwent a changing of the guard and named Shirley Bond the new Minister
of Health. The sudden shuffling of Mr Campbell's cabinet was triggered by the
resignation of Finance Minister Gary Collins. Although Ms Bond is the former Minister
of Advanced Education, she's no stranger to healthcare issues — she was instrumental
in bringing satellite medical campuses to the University of Northern British Columbia
(UNBC) and University of Victoria in 2002. LD Alberta
EDMONTON
— An olive branch for Ottawa
Newly appointed Alberta Health and Wellness Minister Iris Evans recently told
the Edmonton Sun that she's categorically opposed to any changes to Alberta's
health care system that would violate the Canada Health Act. Premier Ralph Klein
had previously said his government couldn't rule out reforms that would contravene
the Act. Ms Evans also recently had her first discussion with federal health minister
Ujjal Dosanjh and she called it "a very fine beginning." GE EDMONTON
— The problem of pain Complex
Regional Pain Syndrome is a mysterious and tough to treat disorder that affects
an estimated 350,000 Albertans. Experts have started 'the Ambassador Program'
to help educate family doctors in Alberta on methods of treating those patients.
Dr Pamela Barton, co-founder of the Calgary Chronic Pain Centre, began travelling
across Alberta in December with other health care professionals to help spread
the word to doctors who may not have had adequate resources or experience in treating
the illness. GE
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Saskatchewan
REGINA — Nursing crisis feared A
report released in December by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI)
claims there'll be a chronic shortage of nurses in Canada in the near future if
action isn't taken immediately. This prediction didn't come as much of a surprise
to Shirley McKay, spokeswoman for the Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association
(SRNA). Her group, as well as the nurses' union and the Saskatchewan Association
of Licensed Practical Nurses (SALPN), have been warning about such a dire scenario
in their province for years. Ms McKay offered a simple solution for retaining
nurses in her province — offer the many part-timers full time shifts. TJ
Manitoba
WINNIPEG
— Dialysis and Hep B Winnipeg
researchers have discovered that rates of Hepatitis B among hemodialysis patients
may be higher than previously suspected. University of Manitoba professor Gerald
Minuk and colleagues reported that there could be as many as 4-5% more cases of
infection. The researchers tested 241 hemodialysis patients and found the standard
HBsAg test to be less sensitive than a more expensive DNA-based test, which detected
nine additional instances of the Hep B virus. The research appeared in the November
issue of Hepatology. HA Ontario
Toronto — United
they stand off After a brief cold war, dialogue has resumed between the
Ontario Medical Association (OMA) and the Ontario government. Premier Dalton McGuinty
firmly reiterated that although his government is not interested in starting the
talks "from scratch," the six main grievance points addressed in the government's
revamped offer are open for negotiation. The OMA is relieved that the government
has resumed talks and doesn't intend to force the plan upon Ontario doctors. JJM
Toronto
— Coalition of the willing It's
certainly not a secret, but the Coalition of Family Physicians is hoping to shed
some light on the dark reality that there is a severe shortage of family physicians
in Ontario. The docs will launch an ad campaign early in 2005 in hopes of awakening
the powers that be to the critical situation, including doctors' concerns and
suggestions for ways forward. The coalition notes that one in 10 Ontarians —
a staggering one million people — still don't have a family doctor to call
their own. JJM Contributors: Hector Andrews, Simon Biggar,
Donna Byers, Lance Davies, Geoff Everett, Jane George, Brian Hoyle, Thane Jenkins,
Julie J. Mercier, Carla Sparks, Toss Taylor, Brent Woodford
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