Atlantic Health Ministers Work Together to Improve Health Outcomes

Atlantic health ministers are working together to improve health care, outcomes and access, and to save money through group procurement.

Health and Wellness Minister Leo Glavine hosted a meeting of Atlantic health ministers in Halifax today, Aug. 19. Talks focused on ways the provinces can improve collaboration on generic drugs, opioid monitoring, strategic procurement and rural health care.

“We support federal collaboration with provincial and territorial partners so we can tackle critical needs like community-based care, elder care, mental health and pharmacare,” said Mr. Glavine.

The ministers committed to:
— find ways to expand people’s access to generic drugs
— continue to enhance opioid monitoring
— explore collaborative procurement options, including joint requests for proposals
— find innovative ways to improve rural health care

“As a province and a region we are providing better access to medications and reinvesting efficiencies back into competing pressures in our health care systems,” said P.E.I. Health and Wellness Minister Doug Currie. “This fall, our province will launch the first ever Under 65 Generic Drug Plan for the uninsured. We are committed to strong regional collaboration to strengthen regional health care.”

“Today’s meeting was a great opportunity for all Atlantic ministers to gather in the same room to talk about important common health matters that touch New Brunswickers and all Atlantic Canadians,” said Victor Boudreau, New Brunswick Minister of Health.

“On behalf of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, I am proud to continue this work with my Atlantic Canadian counterparts,” said Steve Kent, Newfoundland and Labrador Minister of Health and Community Services. “We have identified a number of key areas where challenges can be met collaboratively including mental health service delivery, pharmacare, care for seniors, rural health care, and strategic procurement. We continue to build momentum towards achieving collaborative solutions on priority heath care issues affecting Atlantic Canadians every day.”

Source: Release