Healthcare

(Emily Jaycox/Ponoka News)

Ponoka’s Festival of Trees opens with sombre note on state of health care system

Among the glitter and excitement, appeal to attendees included a serious message

 

Canada’s health ministers are set to meet in Vancouver on Nov. 7 and 8 to discuss solutions to health-care crises. (Adobe Stock Image)

Doctors, nurses call for action on crumbling care, health ministers meet in Vancouver

Health ministers from across Canada set to meet Monday and Tuesday

 

Hospital personnel pose for a photo with one of the cardiac monitoring cubes in emergency. (File photo)

Ponoka hospital to join province-wide electronic medical record system

The Ponoka Hospital and Care Centre is joining Connect Care, a province-wide…

 

Alberta has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Philippines to help fill the nursing shortage. (File photo)

Alberta looking outside of Canada to lessen nursing shortage

The departments of Advanced Education, Health, and Labour and Immigration are launching…

Alberta has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Philippines to help fill the nursing shortage. (File photo)
Alberta has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Philippines to help fill the nursing shortage. (File photo)

Alberta looking outside of Canada to lessen nursing shortage

The departments of Advanced Education, Health, and Labour and Immigration are launching…

Alberta has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Philippines to help fill the nursing shortage. (File photo)
The wait times for MRIs and CT scans is being reduced. (File photo)

Government reducing wait times for scans

The Alberta government is providing an additional $11 million this year for…

The wait times for MRIs and CT scans is being reduced. (File photo)
(Metro Creative Connection)

Ponoka committee exploring palliative care needs in community

Committee says the more responses to their survey they receive, the better

(Metro Creative Connection)
The Alberta government recently announced a pilot project to train nurses in rural hospitals to perform sexual assault evidence kit examinations. (File photo)

Government program to assist survivors of sexual assault in rural Alberta

Pilot project will train more sexual assault nurse examiners

The Alberta government recently announced a pilot project to train nurses in rural hospitals to perform sexual assault evidence kit examinations. (File photo)
Dr. Saqar will be starting at the Rimbey Medical Clinic in late September.

New doctor starting in Rimbey

Rimbey residents who have been without a family doctor are breathing a…

Dr. Saqar will be starting at the Rimbey Medical Clinic in late September.
From left to right, U2 singer Bono, Philanthropist and Co-Chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, and France’s President Emmanuel Macron congratulate each other on stage during the Global Fund to Fight AIDS event at the Lyon’s congress hall, central France, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Laurent Cipriani

Advocates say Canada should commit $1.2 billion to fight against AIDS, TB and malaria

Investment, with other countries’ help, could save 20 million lives over next few years: advocates

From left to right, U2 singer Bono, Philanthropist and Co-Chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, and France’s President Emmanuel Macron congratulate each other on stage during the Global Fund to Fight AIDS event at the Lyon’s congress hall, central France, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Laurent Cipriani
Positive, left, and negative COVID-19 antigen rapid tests are picture in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. As research suggests that COVID-19 has infected roughly half of the Canadian population, the emergence of an even more contagious version of the virus is raising concerns that some people may be in for another round.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Already had COVID-19? Here’s what we know about reinfections

About half of Canadians have had COVID-19 so far, research suggests

Positive, left, and negative COVID-19 antigen rapid tests are picture in Calgary, Alta., Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. As research suggests that COVID-19 has infected roughly half of the Canadian population, the emergence of an even more contagious version of the virus is raising concerns that some people may be in for another round.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Liberal MP Hedy Fry speaks during a news conference in Ottawa, on June 15, 2017. Fry introduced a private bill in late June, Bill C-295, that would amend Section 215 of the Criminal Code to specifically criminalize owners and managers of long-term care homes for failing to provide the “necessaries of life” to vulnerable adults. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Ottawa exploring criminal reform as Liberal MP tables bill on long-term care neglect

Bill C-295 looks to criminalize care home owners who fail to provide residents with necessities

Liberal MP Hedy Fry speaks during a news conference in Ottawa, on June 15, 2017. Fry introduced a private bill in late June, Bill C-295, that would amend Section 215 of the Criminal Code to specifically criminalize owners and managers of long-term care homes for failing to provide the “necessaries of life” to vulnerable adults. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
B.C. Premier John Horgan pauses after announcing he will not run in the next provincial election during a news conference in Vancouver, on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. A group representing emergency room doctors across the country has a message for Canada’s premiers: come up with a co-ordinated plan to prevent their workplaces from being closed due to staffing shortages that are creating an unprecedented crisis in health care. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Ottawa’s share of health-care funding to be top concern at premiers’ meeting in B.C.

Premiers calling for feds to increase their share of spending from 22 to 35 per cent

B.C. Premier John Horgan pauses after announcing he will not run in the next provincial election during a news conference in Vancouver, on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. A group representing emergency room doctors across the country has a message for Canada’s premiers: come up with a co-ordinated plan to prevent their workplaces from being closed due to staffing shortages that are creating an unprecedented crisis in health care. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
International Development Minister and Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada Minister Harjit Sajjan rises during Question Period, in Ottawa, Monday, April 4, 2022. Sajjan says he told Canadian officials in Ukraine and neighbouring countries to ensure that women sexually assaulted by Russian troops get the help they need — including access to abortions if they wish. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Ukrainian victims of sexual violence need reproductive health care: Sajjan

Women, girls coming to Canada will be given access to abortions if they want them, says minister

International Development Minister and Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada Minister Harjit Sajjan rises during Question Period, in Ottawa, Monday, April 4, 2022. Sajjan says he told Canadian officials in Ukraine and neighbouring countries to ensure that women sexually assaulted by Russian troops get the help they need — including access to abortions if they wish. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, May 6, 2022. A year since the federal government announced a fund for organizations making sexual and reproductive information and services more available, advocates say those funds have not yet been released. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

$45M sexual, reproductive health fund not yet released a year later: advocates

Health Canada says it has signed nine contribution agreements

Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, May 6, 2022. A year since the federal government announced a fund for organizations making sexual and reproductive information and services more available, advocates say those funds have not yet been released. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Alberta Health Minister Jason Copping gives a COVID-19 update in Edmonton on Sept. 21, 2021. The government says it’s will fund 25 per cent more cataract surgeries this year in chartered surgical facilities in an effort to reduce surgery backlogs. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Alberta increases funding for more cataract surgeries in private facilities

The funding comes from a $133-million surgical initiative program

Alberta Health Minister Jason Copping gives a COVID-19 update in Edmonton on Sept. 21, 2021. The government says it’s will fund 25 per cent more cataract surgeries this year in chartered surgical facilities in an effort to reduce surgery backlogs. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
Two peace officer vehicles are seen in front of the Ponoka Hospital and Care Centre at about 3:30 p.m. March 17. By then, the lock down had ended. (Emily Jaycox/Ponoka News)

Ponoka hospital ER closed for today

Temporary closure April 8 due to physician shortage

Two peace officer vehicles are seen in front of the Ponoka Hospital and Care Centre at about 3:30 p.m. March 17. By then, the lock down had ended. (Emily Jaycox/Ponoka News)
NDP MP Don Davies speaks during a news conference on blood plasma clinics in Ottawa, Tuesday, November 15, 2016. NDP health critic Don Davies says he expects the Liberals to make good its promise to deliver national pharmacare, but perhaps not all at once. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

NDP expects phased-in approach to national pharmacare promise in deal with Liberals

Liberals have promised the NDP to pass a Canada Pharmacare Act by the end of next year

NDP MP Don Davies speaks during a news conference on blood plasma clinics in Ottawa, Tuesday, November 15, 2016. NDP health critic Don Davies says he expects the Liberals to make good its promise to deliver national pharmacare, but perhaps not all at once. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Emergency-room nurse Eram Chhogala poses for a photograph at a park near her home, in Toronto, Thursday, March 17, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin

Two years in, no moving on from COVID-19 for Canada’s exhausted health-care workers

40 health organizations called for urgent government action to address ailing system

Emergency-room nurse Eram Chhogala poses for a photograph at a park near her home, in Toronto, Thursday, March 17, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin
(Stock photo)

Rimoka CAO says privatizing health care services ‘doesn’t work’

AHS to contract out retail food services at some facilities

(Stock photo)