“There are 5,000 Niagara residents today waiting for an MRI. These scans could be the difference of life or death and people are sitting at home in stress waiting 255 days to get scans they need.” – Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates
A News Release from the Constituency Office of Wayne Gates, NDP MPP for the Riding of Niagara Falls, Ontario
Posted October 21st. 2021 on Niagara At Large
Niagara Falls NDP MPP Wayne Gates
QUEEN’S PARK – MPP Wayne Gates (Niagara Falls) called on Doug Ford to immediately provide Niagara Health with the necessary operating funding to clear the growing MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) backlog during question period on Wednesday.
“Today in Niagara, only six per cent of Niagara residents have received their MRI within the provincial benchmark of 28 days, compared to 46 per cent of Ontario residents who have their scan within that time,” said Gates.
“The current wait time for an MRI in Niagara is 255 days, well above the provincial average of 141 days. Will you provide the necessary funding to ensure residents of Niagara have fair access to MRI scans – yes or no?”
In 2017, Gates introduced a motion calling the province to increase operating funding, decrease wait times for MRIs and address the growing backlog for diagnostic imaging in Niagara.
An MRI machine, a vital medical tool for saving lives
That motion was approved and funding was granted to reduce wait times. Since Gates’ successful motion Ford has allowed diagnostic scan wait times to increase in Niagara again above the provincial average.
There are 5,000 Niagara residents today waiting for an MRI,” said Gates. “These scans could be the difference of life or death and people are sitting at home in stress waiting 255 days to get scans they need.” “
“Will you confirm for the residents of Niagara, here today, that you will be delivering the money needed to clear this backlog and ensure that no resident in Niagara has to wait 255 days for a scan they medically need?” Gates asked.
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