Fighting for Better Health Care

Fair federal funding will help Nova Scotia build on its success of recruiting more doctors and nurses and improving access to hospitals, Premier John Hamm said today, Nov. 21.

The premier will be discussing health care with fellow Atlantic premiers at a meeting on Nov. 22 in Fredericton, N.B. The final report of the Romanow commission is expected to be released next week and a First Ministers' Meeting on health care is planned for early 2003.

"This fall, Nova Scotia became the first province in Canada to make a multi-year funding commitment to front-line health care," said the premier. "But it's important to remind Ottawa of their responsibility to work with the provinces. By working together, we can put even more doctors and nurses at bedsides and help shorten wait times."

In October, Premier Hamm announced more than $63 million in new spending for Nova Scotia hospitals and other health facilities over the next three years. Health-care workers welcomed the stability and predictability the long-term funding would provide. The new provincial dollars are in addition to funding provided for salary increases for health-care workers and targeted federal funding for medical equipment.

"Our government has a plan to make sure that health care is there when Nova Scotians need it," said the premier. "We're committed that every new federal dollar that's announced for health care will go towards better health care for our children, families and seniors."

Since 1993, the federal government has cut more than a billion dollars in health and social transfers for Nova Scotia. A Queen's University study released last week by the Romanow commission confirmed claims of federal underfunding of health care.

The agenda of the 7th session of the Council of Atlantic Premiers will also include climate change and the first annual progress report of the Council's Action Plan on Regional Co-operation.