Health Minister says money will help with backlog on surgeries and diagnostic treatments
The feds are kicking in some cash to help provincial health systems work through their surgical backlogs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says the federal government will commit another $2 billion to help provincial health systems.
The money, included in the newly tabled Bill C-17, follows a $4-billion top-up to the federal health transfer last summer and is expected to be a one-time payment, distributed equally based on population.
Throughout the pandemic hospitals across the country had to delay non-emergency procedures to make way for urgent COVID-19 cases, which has led to delayed care for millions of Canadians.
The Ontario Medical Association estimated the pandemic had delayed 21 million patient services, including surgeries for preventative care, cancer screenings and diagnostic tests.
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