By Sarah Klein
Conservative Health Critic Myrna Driedger (FILE)
WINNIPEG — Manitoba’s opposition Tories are sounding the siren on the province’s doctor shortage at many rural hospitals.
Documents obtained by the Progressive Conservative Party show the Northern Health Region has 15 vacancies for doctors. The Interlake-Eastern RHA is short 30 doctors and the Prairie Mountain Health Region is short over 40 doctors. Specialists are also needed in the Brandon region to fill vacancies.
“Manitobans need access to healthcare and if they have no doctors in communities they have no access to healthcare,” said PC health critic Myrna Driedger.
“The NDP has failed rural Manitobans. It doesn’t appear to have any idea how to address the problem so is choosing to ignore it.”
The province’s previously announced commitment is to ensure every Manitoban has a family physician by the end of this year.
The Tories say the province has lost 2,300 doctors to other jurisdictions since coming into power 15 years ago.
