A Canadian think tank has released data from a Freedom of Information request to Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Health, which indicates that 385 patients died while waiting for surgery in the last fiscal year. That’s a slight improvement from the previous total of 402 deaths. SecondStreet.org spokesperson, Dom Lucyk, says a few people died while waiting for surgeries that could have potentially saved their lives, like cardiac, brain or spinal surgeries, but the majority were waiting for surgeries that would improve their quality of life, like cataract and orthopedic surgeries.

He says, “If you are a senior citizen, you are in retirement, and you want to enjoy your retirement but you can’t walk because you have a bad hip or a bad knee or when you step outside and see a snowy day and you are blinded because of your cataracts, that’s not a great way to end your life out, right? So, the quality-of-life aspect to this – it is really important.” Lucyk says the provincial government has taken some positive steps toward health reform, by allowing some private surgeries.

The results of a recent poll from the think tank suggests 61 per cent of those surveyed want the option of private health care along with the universal health care system.
Lucyk points to Australia, Sweden and France, where there is a public system for everyone, but citizens can also purchase services from a private provider.