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May 27th, 2020

Medical experts agree, federal leadership needed to build a better health system post-COVID

“We need to stop using jurisdiction as an excuse to not have national leadership” – Dr. Jane Philpott

OTTAWA – Experts from across the medical spectrum are calling for stronger federal leadership as part of the post-COVID recovery. During an online town hall last night, held by the NDP’s Building for Better task force to plan for the recovery, a panel of health experts and NDP MPs discussed how the pandemic is exposing the weaknesses in our current system and what I should look like going forward after COVID19.

“We need to stop using jurisdiction as an excuse to not have national leadership. When there have been major improvements in health care that lasted generations, they have come from when the Federal government has stepped up and taken leadership,” said former Federal Health Minister, Jane Philpott. “To be able to say there ought to be some basic thing that we should be able to expect especially when it comes to caring for the most vulnerable amongst us.”

Panellists also focused on the devastating reports in the number of deaths in long-term care homes, the effect the pandemic has had in Indigenous communities, the impact physically and mentally on frontline workers, and the need for a national pharmacare system.

“Ideas we have already identified include a made in Canada supply chain for essential medical equipment and supplies so we never again are dependent on countries like China or Donald Trump’s United States for life-saving resources,” said NDP Health Critic, Don Davies (Vancouver Kingsway).

The NDP plans to keep the conversation going on how to build for better as we come out of this crisis.

Yesterday’s town hall is available to watch here.