The health deficit in Quebec, which has exploded in the last year, worries experts who fear seeing a return of austerity policies to rebalance spending.
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“We already have serious problems with access to care, whether in the emergency room, at the GAP, at 811 […] “We have never had so many people waiting to receive care, and now we are being told that we are going to cut,” pleads Paul G. Brunet, the president of the Council for the Protection of the Sick.
In fact, the health portfolio recorded a drop of $1.1 billion during the last financial year, swallowing up 2.6% of the total budget.
The organization with the largest deficit is the CISSS des Laurentides, which has a shortfall of $162 million. The Côte-Nord follows with $144 million. Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Montérégie-Ouest complete the pack with $125 million and $106 million respectively.
The use of health agencies, the price of medicines, the increase in needs and inflation are the main factors that put health establishments into debt.
“We have hired 4,000 executives in the last 5 years. It costs about a billion. […] “I think we should restore the situation by laying them off. When we have more money, we will hire you,” explains Mr. Brunet.
“We must not touch those who touch patients […] We must also remember that we increased our MPs by 30%. So, talking about austerity when we are treating ourselves doesn’t work. It’s not credible,” he adds.
Watch the full interview in the video above
