3-5 years ago I would go to the local hospital with one of my two Mothers, both elderly with various health conditions. Back then our average waiting time was @6-8 hours during the weekday, and 8-15 hours during the weekend. After the front-line nurses spoke to us, we were placed in a cubicle to wait for a doctor to see us. More time passed, sometimes 3-8 more hours. A nurse would make a short visit to see the condition of my Mother and move on. I actually saw others who have waited a long time leave the hospital disgusted, angered and feeling hopeless. The timeline shows us that much has not changed, even with the pandemics’ input. A failed health system persists.
Then the pandemic happened. One of my Mothers was very ill, nearing the time when she would have to stay in the hospital. Over three days she waited on a gurney, being visited by nurses, and doctors, going for various tests. She developed blisters on her back due to her bedtime and being unable to walk to the bathroom. In the middle of this pandemic, this lovely lady lay terrified, in pain and loss to the world you find in a hospital. My wife, children and I took turns giving my Mother our 24/7 attention. I eventually talked my doctor into allowing Mom to return home, where she passed away in some form of peace, with her family at Her side. A visiting nurse provided service and kindness to Mom those weeks before Her passing. Those ladies were marvellous, top-notch.
Now the rant: Where the HELL do we live? Canada is not some tin pot republic where the people are secondary to their leader’s needs. Canada, where our ancestors provided us with a “universal care” (?) system of health care. A place where we do not have bread lines, but a place where we have to wait for any form of healthcare. If the healthcare system in Ontario were a grocery store, and it provided the same services I/We would not shop there would we? We would look for better stores, with quicker premier customer service and quality of the product. Yeah, we would seek out an alternative!!!
There is no alternative to healthcare in Ontario or Canada. If you are wealthy you can arrange for private healthcare or go to the USA, but the rest of us peons cannot. We pay into a health insurance plan that has not been working for decades and is now falling apart due to the pandemic and a total lack of governmental foresight and investment into the system and its essential services. Our governments pay some people way too much, and those who are essential to our health and well are NOT enough.
Premier Ford needs to end Bill 124 and make direct investments into the payroll structure of our nurses, medical professionals and doctors. Conservatives and their alternatives the Liberals bled the system dry by not investing in these essential pillars of our society. Of course, they would be unprepared that the pandemic was upon us years ago. They are seemingly still unprepared as an exodus of healthcare workers presents itself. The Premier says the Province is open for business, so long as you do not get ill and need a hospital.
Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
[email protected]
