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Niagara Suffering Under Hospital Privatization: Union

CUPE says government investing in private clinics is doing opposite of intended goal

A hospital union is faulting the Ontario government for increased wait times for cataract surgeries, or diagnostic tests, when the plan was to do the opposite.

Canadian Union of Public Employee researcher Doug Allan was in Niagara Falls recently, saying the wealthiest had a 22% increase in service, everyone else had a reduction.

He adds this happened while the government increased private clinic investment by $280-million over the last 5-years.  "We're not criticizing anyone for what they do to take care of their health, but I think everybody will agree that we need to build a public health care system that treats people based on the urgency of their need."

He says about 385,000 people in Niagara will be disadvantaged.

He pushed for the single payer system.  "Not have to build multiple facilities as this privatization project is doing, we can use our Niagara Health system to its full capacity, and use those operating rooms to their full capacity, and not go out and build new facilities, and create new administrative structures."

He added most Canadians are against more investment in private, preferring public.

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