Provinces join forces to buy medical equipment

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This article was published 19/10/2017 (2380 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Canada’s health ministers have agreed to collaborate in the purchase of high-volume and specialized medical equipment.

Manitoba has been pushing for joint equipment-procurement programs, similar to those involving pharmaceuticals that have saved provinces billions of dollars over the years.

Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen said in a conference call from Edmonton deputy health ministers from across Canada will meet next month to begin working out the logistics of joint medical-equipment purchases.

Some of the stumbling blocks include contractual issues with current suppliers and differing product preferences among — and even within — provinces.

Goertzen said joint purchases could involve everything from magnetic resonance imaging machines to hospital beds.

“That was, from the Manitoba perspective, a particular success of this meeting,” he said. “It’s something that we’ve been driving in terms of reducing some costs within health care and getting better value for money for what can often be very, very expensive but important equipment.”

The health ministers will report on their progress to a meeting of the premiers May 31.

The country’s provincial and territorial ministers discussed several other issues during their two-day meeting, including the ongoing opioid crisis, mental health, universal access to medicines and the health implications of the legalization of marijuana next year.

Canada’s new health minister, Ginette Petitpas Taylor, attended the meeting Friday.

Goertzen said he discussed the ongoing issue of health funding with Petitpas Taylor and also raised Manitoba concerns about the country’s preparedness for the legalization of marijuana July 1.

Manitoba is concerned Ottawa has not done enough to promote the dangers of cannabis consumption for young people. Research has shown the drug may be harmful to those under the age of 25, since the brain is still developing, Goertzen said.

“I think the need for early and aggressive advertising in terms of public awareness so that young people and others recognize that there is a harm from the use of cannabis is important,” he said.

But he fears Ottawa may already have missed the boat — and by the time the feds launch a public awareness campaign, it will be too late for it to do any good.

“I don’t see an aggressive plan for that public awareness,” he said.

Goertzen argued the health dangers of cannabis legalization are real, and a lack of preparedness could “pose significant harm to Manitobans, and Canadians more generally.”

Manitoba has also expressed concern there has not been enough time for authorities to address the issue of driver impairment from cannabis.

Manitoba will play host to next year’s meeting of provincial and territorial ministers of health. A date has not been set for the event.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca