'Significant number': Doctors Manitoba concerned about surgery backlog

The organization representing physicians in Manitoba said more work needs to be done to address the surgical backlog in the province.

Doctors Manitoba said the surgical backlog in Manitoba sits at 40,160, the second-highest post-pandemic surgical backlog in Canada, with only Newfoundland and Labrador having a higher backlog. The numbers come from the most recent report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).

“That’s still a significant number; it’s about 40 per cent of the total volume per year, or about five months of surgical volume,” said Dr. Randy Guzman, president of Doctors Manitoba.

The report from CIHI said surgical volumes for children are down 12 per cent below pre-pandemic levels, and surgeries for patients in rural communities or low-income patients are still low. Cataract surgery volumes are still down 10 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels, the report said.

However, Manitoba is getting better at repairing fractured hips with 48 hours, with 88 per cent of surgeries falling within that benchmark. However, only 50 per cent of patients needing hip and knee replacements are getting their surgeries within 26 weeks.

Speaking at the Manitoba legislature Thursday afternoon, Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara blamed the previous Progressive Conservative government for the backlog. They said the previous government had a backlog before the pandemic hit and didn’t clear it, even though they created a surgical task force.

“Our government was handed a Conservative backlog in surgeries, and we have been working very hard to clear that backlog and to make sure we’re adding capacity in our own province,” Asagwara said.