Thunder Bay – POLITICS – After more than three years in government, Doug Ford has failed to take any action on a chronic shortage of family doctors in Thunder Bay and throughout Northern Ontario, said MPP Judith Monteith-Farrell during question period on Wednesday.
Monteith-Farrell said Ford’s lack of action is hurting local people like the O’Higgins-Human family.
“Mairead O’Higgins-Human’s husband has a serious medical condition. Despite his condition, Mairead could not find a family doctor. Mairead had to jump through hoops, calling everyone she could think of in order to finally get a family doctor,” said Monteith-Farrell.
“Families like the O’Higgins-Humans in Thunder Bay shouldn’t have to be struggling everyday to access a family doctor, yet in Thunder Bay and across Northern Ontario too many families still can’t find a family doctor accepting new patients.”
The Northern Ontario School of Medicine estimates that more than 300 physicians are required in the North, not counting upcoming retirements.
“The Ford government has had more than three years to resolve this but has left families and people in Thunder Bay without a doctor,” said Monteith-Farrell. “We cannot allow this to continue.
“Will the Ford government commit to finally taking action to ensure everyone in Northern Ontario can get a family doctor?”