Halifax Herald

In response to your editorial on Waiting for shorter times on Wed. Oct 17 - 4:47 a.m., it comes as no surprise to us that Nothing has been done about wait times reduction.

Since 1996, we have witnessed almost 2000 beds closed and the loss of thousands of health professionals from all areas. We have repeatedly expressed, met and urged governments to do the right thing and open more beds to reduce the wait times. You mention the NDP brought this up as their campaign, when in fact, we have continuously lobbied governments and opposition both provincially and federally to reinstate what they cut so deeply into - patient care.

Without a drastic increase in more beds, there will NEVER be a solution to the wait times, unless waiting for someone to die.

The Fraser Institute certainly doesn't care about us getting care unless it has a price tag on it for profit. They like to blame the publicly funded health care system for letting us down, when infact, it is the ill-will of governments to take a strong stand against for - profit health care.

It is sad and not surprising to see that Nova Scotia has one of the longest wait times due to the huge health care cuts in the 1990s. Peoples' lives were less important than balancing the budget.

It was mentioned that nothing new was in the NDP’s latest campaign, entitled Shorter Wait Times for Healthcare. Many of the ideas unveiled by party leader Darrell Dexter are already in practice in this province or elsewhere in Canada". The truth is the New Democrats zeroed in on wait times resolutions, because they have been listening to the people of this province for the last 11 years.

How does one put a price tag on saving people's lives? Yes, resolving our wait times and access to care will include more doctors, more nurse practitioners, more equipment, opening more hospital beds, and keeping emergency rooms open. That is what our health care was designed to do - help make sick people better, give quality of care to those that have little time and to provide comfort and security for our precious seniors in their "golden" years and not "nightmare" years. As a matter of fact, Phase II of Medicare was supposed to be a reality, to bring a National Pharmacare program, a National Long Term Care program and a Dental Care program for all Canadians.

Unfortunately, we patients, family members and communities are the ones to bear the ugly truth on wait times, too bad we can't ask the ones in the graveyard how long they waited.

Debbie Kelly, SSStJ

Chairperson, NS Citizens' Health Care Network

3600 Windsor St. Hfx, NS. B3K 5G8 440-2792