(Niagara At Large is posting the following July 22 media release from the Ontario government on the state of health care in the province for our readers information.)
Ontario is leading the country in reducing health care wait times, providing families with better access to care while helping children lead healthier, active lives.
That is just some of the good news on health care outlined in the 2011 Progress Report. The annual report shows the results Ontarians are achieving together. A strong public health care system gives our families peace of mind. The McGuinty government is helping to improve the health of all Ontarians by:
§ § Helping 1.3 million more Ontarians find a family doctor since 2004.
§ § Creating 200 Family Health Teams serving almost 3 million Ontarians.
§ § Providing 90,000 more breast screening exams for women at risk.
§ § Expanding the Ontario Diabetes Strategy to improve health care for the 1.1 million Ontarians with diabetes.
§ § Lowering generic drug prices, with $500 million in savings reinvested into better care.
§ § Covering five new vaccines — protecting our children and saving families about $1,400 per child.
§ § Improving mental health support for 50,000 children and their families with quicker and easier access.
Ontario is also the first Canadian province to introduce nurse practitioner-led clinics in our communities, which helps our families receive care more quickly closer to home. The McGuinty government is responding to the growing health care needs of families today while seizing more opportunities to prevent illness tomorrow.
QUOTES
“Ontario is recognized as having one of the best health care systems in the world. It’s helping our families stay healthy and get the care they need when they’re sick. We will continue working together to find ways to improve the care that our families need.”
— Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
QUICK FACTS
§ § The 2011 Wait Time Alliance report showed that Ontario had shortest total wait times in Canada for the 4th year in a row.
§ § Healthy Smiles Ontario provides dental care to 130,000 low-income children and youth 17 and under.
§ § The percentage of Ontarians who smoke decreased from 24.5 per cent in 2000 to 18.6 per cent in 2009.
(We encourage you to share your comments on this post below.)
Niagara At Large 
politicians and diapers need to be changed for the same reason
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This report and its claims are an insult to the people that live in the southern tier of the Niagara Region, as I do.The realities of health care in this location include ER shutdowns, bed closings, an outbreak of C-difficile that remains in our hospitals with the death of 24 persons,unclean hospitals,an exodus of doctors etc,etc.Over the past year, there have been many comments submitted to NAL re the health care issue.We know what the reality is but deterioration continues to go on.Is there any hope left that it can still be corrected?
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We in Niagara must live in a different province then…..or else this is another Ministry of Health Care Fairy Tale.
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This would be a good example of propoganda.
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What a Crock. Who the hell do they think they are kidding. Certainly noone with an IQ larger then their golf score.
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Information such as above in the media release will be repeated over and over (recycled news style), but the effects of hospital closures and P3 hospitals conveniently won’t often make it on the Agenda for public consumption.
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People in Niagara have to organize behind politicians that have had nothing to do with these cuts, and will stand up for us … unfortunately, this is going to be like picking needles from a haystack.
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