On the heels of the Alberta government announcing a new health-care plan, candidates in Lethbridge-West are pleading their case to voters ahead of a byelection.
Naheed Nenshi, leader of the Alberta NDP, was in Lethbridge Tuesday to discuss the recent announcement that the UCP-led Alberta government was introducing Primary Care Alberta to oversee and co-ordinate the delivery of health-care services.
“The announcement said nothing about getting more family doctors,” Nenshi said. “It said nothing about paying family doctors reasonably. It said nothing about improving people’s access to primary care. Instead, we have a new CEO and a whole set of new managers to develop a new system that still doesn’t have any money and still doesn’t have any people working in it.”
However, Adriana LaGrange, Alberta’s health minister, says this new development is key in the long-term goals of the government.
“Standing up Primary Care Alberta is an important milestone in refocusing the health-care system to put patients first and give our front-line experts the support they need to ensure Albertans are receiving the care they deserve,” LaGrange said.
The solution, according to Nenshi, starts in Lethbridge.
“Lethbridge is ground zero for the health-care crisis that we’re seeing here in Alberta.”
He was in Lethbridge campaigning alongside Rob Miyashiro, the NDP candidate for the looming Lethbridge-West byelection. Miyashiro says, if elected, he would bring this issue straight to Edmonton.
“The third largest city in (the province) is experiencing a health-care crisis and we need to do something about it. As Naheed said as well, there are some steps that need to be taken in order to get to the outcomes that we want.”
The UCP, however, is taking a more positive approach to the state of health-care in Lethbridge. John Middleton-Hope, the conservative candidate in Lethbridge-West, says significant progress has already been made.
“The provincial government has committed to a cardiac catheterization lab for Lethbridge. That’s a significant commitment.”
The candidate and current city council member also says the planned construction of several new medical schools in Alberta, including one in Lethbridge, is more evidence of progress.
However, some residents are skeptical that the province will deliver on the plans for these schools. Furthermore, there is concern it will be too little, too late.
“Graduates wouldn’t be coming out for ages because it wouldn’t even be open and accepting grads until 2026. Then, you have to put it forward about five, six years from there. So, that would be a long time,” said Bev Muendel-Atherstone, chair of the Lethbridge and area Friends of Medicare.
Middleton-Hope says there is certainly room for improvement, but the darkest days of Alberta’s health-care crisis are in the rear-view mirror.
“It’s not perfect, but it’s a darn sight better than it was two or three or four years ago and it’s improving every day. I can tell you, it’s much better than it was eight years ago.”
The Lethbridge-West byelection must be called before Jan. 1, 2025. However, both candidates have already been door-knocking for weeks in anticipation of the call.