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Letters to the editor Task force says healthcare must improve in north Dear editor, New Democrats found anything but a world-class healthcare system in last week's northern task force tour on health issues. From May 30 to June 2, 1988, MPP's Gilles Pouliot, Howie Hampton and Shelly Martel visited Thunder Bay, Atikokan, Emo and Dryden where they received 52 submissions from 11 communities in northwestern Ontario. The presentations by local doc- tors, native organizations, patients, mental health workers and other practitioners paint a disheartening picture of hardships caused by a lack of services and by the long distances that people must travel for essential health needs. For instance: -- In Atikokan, a woman rose from the crowd of 50 participants to tell how her family had to pay thousands in transportation and meals to get her husband to and from Thunder Bay three times a week for kidney dialysis -- a dis- tance of over 190 kilometers one way. -- In Thunder Bay, Heather Woodbeck of the Women's Health Information Network related how women sometimes give birth at the side of the road because they are forced to travel for hours from communities like Manitouwadge to deliver their babies in a Thunder Bay hospital. -- The 750 people of Nestor Falls, 68 km north of Emo, have no resident doctor or clinic and depend on their ambulance service. Lee Molitor, the coordinator of ambulance service, is prohibited from receiving training as a paramedic. Furthermore, his radio won't work until very close to the receiving hospital. He sometimes feels helpless as a person "slips away in the back of (the) ambu- lance." --In Dryden, the task force sat in stunned silence as Geraldine Savian described how her husband, Mario, almost died of a brain tumour because he went on a wait- ing list for a CAT scan of seven weeks in Thunder Bay, or three months in Winnipeg. Instead of waiting, Mario went to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester where he was tested immediately. He then spent the next three days on the operating table in a successful attempt to save his life. --Even these poignant stories paled in comparison to the outra- geous infant mortality rates, lower life expectancy and higher suicide rates that Native groups described in their communities. Changes are needed The task force saw many cre- ative community initiatives. Their lessons will be summarized in a report that will be published in the fall of 1988 after the task force has toured the northwest. The need for some major changes has already emerged. The problem of attracting and retaining medical professionals will only be solved when these practitioners are trained in the North. Many, including Bob Rosehart, the president of Lakehead Univer- sity in Thunder Bay, argued for the creation of a medical school in northern Ontario. The problem of the sparse popu- lation spread over large distances will only be solved by developing Easter Seal | Society served thousands in '87 Dear Editor, The 1987 Easter Seal Society in Ontario's annual report shows that close to $7,264,991 was spent serv- ing 7,266 children between the ages of 0-19 who have physical disabilities. The money was used to provide direct counselling services to fami- lies of children with physical dis- abilities; summer camping and recreation programs; medical con- sultation, prevention and clinic; pre-school programs; transportation and equipment; and parent support services. The Society received $10,156,511 in voluntary dollars towards its $13,208,158 operating budget for 1987. The balance was received through grants and other Fifty-five per cent of the budget went directly to services for the children on the Society's caseload. The Society allocated $782,954 (6 per cent) to the Easter Seal Blissymbolics Communications Institute and Easter Seal Research Institute. the remaining $4,579,723 (34.67 per cent) went toward administration, public information services, and fundraising support. During the past five years, the number of children has steadily increased and the level of disability and degree of dependence has also grown. The caseload is comprised largely of children with cerebral palsy, spina bifida and multiple conditions. More than 60 per cent of the children use wheelchairs and are partly to totally dependent. mb 6Tamanse* an naga 7 more community-based delivery of services. This also requires the training of more paramedical per- sonnel. Health care services to Native People must be delivered whenever . possible by Natives and where this is not possible, in a culturally appropriate manner. Francophone' and ethnic com- munities are also demanding cul- turally appropriate delivery of ser- vice. And last, but absolutely not least, caregivers like ambulance drivers, mental health counsellors and homecare workers must be paid an adequate wage instead of the present pittance. The service they provide saves the institutional side of healthcare millions of dol- lars. per, Gilles Pouliot, MPP Lake Nipigon, Howie hampton, MPP Rainy River, Shelly Martel, MPP Sudbury East Page 5, News, Wednesday, June 22, 1988 tet the butter!: Bob Williams of Terrace Bay admires this 20- pound Lake Trout he caught by Hydro Bay on June 10. Bob, who fishes often, said he caught a total of 37 pounds of fish that day, and he planned to have this one smoked. _ photo by Greg Huneault Krystia's Yard Sale Rossport, Ontario Saturday June 25th 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Furniture, dishes, bedding, antiques, good junk, Something for everyone. Retirement Metropolitan Life wishes to announce the retirement of long term Sales Representative, Bill Kirkpatrick. Bill has served his clients faithfully for 23 years in this community. Bill has now decided to make his residence Penticton, B. C., and will be leaving in early July. J. Larry McCoy, C.L.U. will be servicing Metropolitan Policyholders in this area. Metropolitan Life AND AFFILIATED COMPANIES 5 Ghueky's Charter Boat Rentals Rossport, Ont. POT 2R0 (807) 824-2185 INS