Manitoba Government Sending 300 Surgery Patients To U.S For Operation

Manitoba’s surgery backlog remains high and growing each day

Manitoba’s surgery waitlist surpassed a staggering 151,000, and becomes more apparent the state of concern for the province’s health care system. A system that has seen Premier Stefanson expand her Cabinet in yesterday’s shuffle to see the creation of three Health Ministers.

It is now the second time within 12 months the Manitoba Government has added another Minister to the Health portfolio, arguably one of the most challenging portfolios to hold.

Today the government announced they are sending 300 spinal cord surgery patients to the United States to conduct their operations. The government has entered into an agreement with Sandford Health, located in Fargo, North Dakota, to do the surgeries.

The cost of sending patients to the U.S will be a substantial hit to Manitoba taxpayers. It remains unknown what other scheduled surgeries are going south of the border nor the cost.

Manitobans are still waiting for the government’s task force to outline their strategy for tackling the enormous surgery backlog. Until that happens,’ Manitobans are left to make critical decisions on whether to seek out surgeons abroad or continue to play the wait-and-see approach by their government.