Thread by @ryanmeili

WARNING - long thread. But as a doctor, I care deeply about health care, and I have something to say.

#skpoli #healthcare #NDP2020

People in Saskatchewan have a very clear choice in front of them: Four more years of deep cuts that hurt people, or an NDP government that will put people first by making the investments a full recovery depends on.

Cuts and neglect, or investments in people. And this choice couldn’t be clearer when we think about our rural healthcare.

Because of years of neglect, our rural emergency rooms have faced frequent closures and service disruptions.

In the midst of a pandemic, this government closed 12 rural emergency rooms. Three of those are still closed because of staffing shortages.

Scott Moe may claim to support rural Saskatchewan, but Saskatchewan is the only jurisdiction in Canada that has seen its rural doctor numbers decline over the last 5 years.

Rural Saskatchewan has been taken for granted by the Sask. Party government for too long.

It’s gotten so bad that even outgoing Sask. Party MLAs are finding the courage to call it like it is. Greg Brkich wrote this summer, “local folks are being short-changed again in rural Saskatchewan.”

It’s time for a government that’s committed to protecting and investing in rural healthcare, to keeping our rural ERs open.

That’s why today, I announced our commitment to repairing years of Sask. Party underfunding of rural healthcare, which has led to service disruptions, closed Emergency Rooms, and greater stress for rural families and seniors.

If chosen by the people of this province to form government, we will:

🌡 Reopen the rural emergency rooms closed by Scott Moe and commit to keeping all our existing rural acute care centres open

🌡Invest an additional $10 million to address chronic short staffing and recruitment challenges in rural healthcare.

🌡Invest in rural health infrastructure as part of our capital plan to fix crumbling rural healthcare facilities.

🌡Convene a panel of rural, healthcare, First Nations, and Métis leaders to advise on improving access to healthcare in rural areas.

🌡And work with the Health Science faculties on an aggressive rural training program to recruit and retain young people from rural Saskatchewan in health care careers.

For years, Stacey Strykowski, our candidate in Canora-Pelly, and so many others in our province have fought to keep rural emergency rooms open.

I’m so proud today to be offering the people of this province a choice, and a change, that could see her and other advocates working within an NDP government to repair the harm that has been done and secure these vital services.