MOOSOMIN — Updated medical imaging statistics from Saskatchewan Health show a lack of CT Scanner capacity in southeast Saskatchewan is contributing to the longest waits in the province.
Regina, Yorkton, and Estevan have three of the four longest average wait times in the province. The average wait time of 62.9 days in Regina is more than triple the 18.7 days in Swift Current.
Yorkton has the highest median wait times in the province, and Regina has the second longest.
The median wait time of 35.5 days in Yorkton is more than double the 17.5 days in North Battleford.
At the end of the second quarter, there were 2,195 people on the waiting list for a CT Scan in Regina, the longest waiting list in the province, there were 561 waiting for a scan in Yorkton and 575 on the waiting list for a scan in Estevan.
836 of the 1,543 people who have been on the waitlist for more than 90 days—54per cent of the number across the entire province — are awaiting scans in the three communities that currently serve southeast Saskatchewan — Regina, Yorkton, and Estevan.
There has been a local effort to get a CT Scanner for the Southeast Integrated Care Centre on the provincial government’s agenda.
There have been grassroots fundraising initiatives, and local physicians say a CT scanner in Moosomin would save lives.
While there are long wait lists for CT Scans in southeast Saskatchewan, population stats show that Moosomin serves a larger regional population than Estevan, which has a CT Scanner.
There are 56,786 people living within 100 km of Moosomin, compared to 44,939 people within 100 km of Estevan, and 25,984 within 100 km of Kindersley, a regional centre similar to Moosomin.
While Moosomin’s population is projected to grow by 20 per cent from the 2016 census to 2032, and by 15 per cent from the current population to 2032, Estevan’s is projected to drop by 2 per cent from the census and 0.27 per cent from the current population, and Kindersley’s is projected to drop by 13 per cent from the census and 9 per cent from the current population.
Moosomin MLA Steven Bonk says the provincial government is well aware of the need for additional CT scan capacity in the region.
“I think there is a need for more diagnostic services, more imaging services in Southeast Saskatchewan,” he says.
“We understand that as a government, actually, thanks to some of your reporting in the World-Spectator. The need was brought to light, and it’s made our government take a really good, hard look at this.
“I know I’ve advocated on behalf of the Moosomin constituency where there is a need. I’ve advocated on behalf of the Moosomin constituency to the health minister and we’ve had very good discussions about this, and everyone recognizes the importance of this and hopefully, we can move forward with something in the near future.
“I believe at this point the government is well aware. We’ve got the statistics to back up the need, thanks to your reporting. We understand that there is a significant waiting list in this area. We’ve got professionals who are willing to do it. We’re looking for more personnel of course—that’s always a stumbling block for these types of projects—but it’s our hope that it will soon become a reality in our constituency.”
What does Bonk think has made the difference in this case?
“Good local advocacy, local fundraising, and having the local community bring it to the attention of their MLA all made a difference, and I was very happy to bring this forward to the minister, who does truly understand the need and is aware,” he says.
“There are a lot of moving parts when you start working in government, especially on any large projects, and that goes for everything from financing to regulations to staffing, so it’s not something that can happen overnight, but the work is being done and hopefully we will have a good result soon.”
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