Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to follow up on that question by Mr. Erasmus, in June we heard that there was a shortage of nurses here in Yellowknife to staff the emergency room at the Stanton Hospital. They did not have enough doctors available to staff it for around the clock and the size of the community, of course, demands that. Now Dr. King tells me there is a doctor shortage at Stanton this summer and it is an indicator of a larger problem. Apparently we have 78 physicians for 100,000 population and nationally it is at 98 physicians. That is a 20 percent difference. Dr. King did a survey during the summer and he said that in the two regions of Yellowknife and Hay River, 12 long-term physicians have left the North in the past year and a half. The Canadian Medical Association is warning about a doctor shortage across the country. I heard the Minister's answer to the question, but I wonder if he could tell me if they will look at the situation of the need to address doctor shortages, or potential doctor shortages because, like the nurses' situation, it is a critical problem, but we also need to now address the doctor shortage.
Jake Ootes on Question 12-13(8): Addressing Potential Doctor Shortage
In the Legislative Assembly on September 8th, 1999. See this statement in context.
Question 12-13(8): Addressing Potential Doctor Shortage
Item 6: Oral Questions
September 7th, 1999
Page 26
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