Great progress has been made in strengthening the health care system by all provinces and territories working together to provide better care for all Canadians, says Premier Robert Ghiz as his term of co-chair of the Health Innovation Working Group ends.
“As a direct result of this work, Islanders will benefit from enhanced drug coverage thanks to better prices for generic drugs and further work on brand-name drugs. I look forward to seeing what other benefits we can achieve from us working together.”
The Health Care Innovation Working Group was formed in January 2012 at a meeting of provincial and territorial leaders to find ways for the provinces and territories to work together to help improve care and ensure the sustainable delivery of health services. Premier Ghiz and Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall were asked to co-chair the working group, which is comprised of the health ministers from across Canada.
Premiers Ghiz and Wall delivered the working group’s second progress report to premiers today during a Council of the Federation meeting in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. The premiers identified home care for seniors, the appropriate use of diagnostics, and lower prices for brand-name drugs as the new priority areas for the working group.
The Health Care Innovation Working Group is an unprecedented opportunity for the provinces and territories to improve health care and has already achieved success. Under the leadership of the group, the provinces and territories reached an agreement on the most commonly used generic drugs and to lower the prices paid for them. The initiative will result in $1.2 million in savings for Prince Edward Island, which will be reinvested in providing better access to drugs for Islanders.
“I’m confident the achievements and progress we’ve made over the past 18 months will lead to further improvements to our health care system,” said the premier. “I want to thank all of the health care providers and partner organizations who shared with us what it is like to work on the front lines of health care in our country and how we can provide better care to all Canadians.”
Premiers Wynne, Redford and Pasloski will take over as the new co-chairs of the Health Care Innovation work group, and Premiers have extended the working group's mandate for another three years.
“I also want to thank my co-chair Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall for his leadership on this file throughout the past 18 months.”