A distressing total of nearly 1,000 cancer patients from Quebec are languishing in wait for over 56 days to undergo oncology surgery, lamented Liberal health critic André Fortin. This distressing situation flagrantly breaches the provincial government’s assurance of conducting 90% of surgeries within 28 days and ensuring all patients are operated on within 56 days.
The first surgical plan to address backlog was implemented in June 2021, with a tally of 353 cancer patients waiting for more than 56 days for surgery. Tragically, that count has ballooned to 892 only two years later, a grim testament to the failure of repeated attempts to streamline the process.
“The health minister has thrice formulated plans to expedite surgery, but each successive plan has only aggravated the situation”, reproached Fortin before the National Assembly. He branded the deteriorating state as “reprehensible and grossly unjust to the patients”.
In his scathing critique, the esteemed Liberal MNA from Pontiac, singled out Health Minister Christian Dubé for apparent complacency and a noticeable lacking in urgency. Fortan highlighted the fact that 87 prostate cancer patients, 66 breast cancer patients, and 55 lung cancer patients were among those left still waiting to be operated upon. “The Minister must demonstrate a sense of urgency”, implored Fortin.
In response, Minister Dubé expressed deep empathy for those languishing on waitlists, highlighting the difficulties faced by the doctors. According to him, many are unable to perform surgeries due to preoccupied hospital beds.
Unfazed by the mounting criticism, the Health Minister defended his government’s efforts, stating, “We are harnessing all our energies in coordinating with specialized medical clinics. However, our means remain tragically limited”.
Addressing concerns around the disruption of services for pregnant women in Gaspésie, Dubé noted the much needed vacations nurses had taken. He disclosed that this past summer, the government opted to permit 80,000 nurses to take a respite. Several factors – including vacations – resulted in their absence from the network.
The Liberal party decried the decision, arguing that it constituted an unreasonable burden on pregnant women who had to journey hundreds of kilometres to receive care. “Not only is their safety imperilled, but so too are the lives of their unborn babies,” warned MNA Enrico Ciccone.
Minister Dubé countered, questioning if it would be fair to deprive nurses of their hard-earned vacations.
