Task force to deal with Manitoba's surgical backlog coming next week: health minister
Manitoba's health minister says the province is gearing up to name a special committee that will be tasked with tackling Manitoba's ever-growing number of backlogged surgeries.
According to a tracker from Doctors Manitoba, the surgical backlog in the province has grown to more than 13,000 procedures.
During a funding announcement for the Selkirk Regional Health Centre, Health Minister Audrey Gordon said a surgical task force will be named next Wednesday.
But some Manitobans dealing with delayed procedures are worried about any more waiting.
More than two years after coming to the Selkirk Regional Health Centre due to hip pain, Melissa Morrison said she finally got to see a specialist in August. But she's learned her hip replacement surgery can’t happen for at least another year.
"He showed me and it was bone on bone. He said, 'You absolutely need a complete hip replacement,'" she said. "Then when he told me it was over a year. I just cried."
Morrison is a nurse who worked at a care home in Selkirk, but due to the constant hip pain, is unable to work or do a lot of daily tasks without help.
"It is excruciating," she said. "If my residents and patients feel the pain I feel, it just breaks my heart."
Many Manitobans are waiting on surgical procedures, as the province is facing thousands of back-logged surgeries. Some patients are being sent out of their home communities to receive immediate medical care.
"There are family impacts, there are personal impacts for people who are leaving the region necessarily to be placed in other facilities that have capacity," said Dr. David Matear, the CEO of the Interlake Eastern regional health authority.
The province announced it would be putting $31.6 million into the Selkirk Regional Health Centre to help improve the level of care available to the local community by expanding the treatment capacity of the emergency room and adding 30 new acute care in-patient beds, allowing for more surgery patients.
READ MORE: Manitoba investing $31.6M in Selkirk hospital to help expand facility
The province is aware other health regions are in need of similar funding.
“So this is yet another step in the right direction and we will be making an announcement soon with respect to northern Manitoba as well as other areas," said Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson.
Health Minister Audrey Gordon said Friday a task force to address the surgical backlog will be named next Wednesday.
“The focus is to ensure Manitobans receive their surgeries and the individuals who are on the task force that are surgeons, we need to ensure that their surgery slates continue,” Gordon said.
Morrison hopes action is taken soon as she is considering getting her procedure done out of province even if it costs thousands of dollars.
"You're living like this anyway, you have no quality of life," she said. "You might as well. That's something we're considering, which is sad because our province – it shouldn't happen."
Gordon said along with naming the task force, the province will set a timeline to clear the backlog and release data publicly on the number of backlogged surgeries.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.