The Northern Medical Society makes no apologies for the fact that it  is very much a political group trying to bring about change in the way that health care is delivered in this region of the province.

 

"We used to belong to the provincial group" says Dr Bert Kelly "but we found they didn’t have the same understanding of the problems that we face in the north , and our own group has been able to focus proper attention to these problems."

 

For example says Dr. Kelly, there are a number of Cancer clinics within an hour of one another on the lower mainland while in the central and northern part of the province, you could face travel of several days in order to receive treatment.

 

The Cancer clinic being built in this region was not built because of population he adds, "It is because we are trying to serve a much larger area of the province where we do not enjoy the same access as those in the lower mainland."

 

He cites, weather, geography, ability to have enough doctors practising in a rural setting, a larger aboriginal population along with a blue collar labour force and there is just no comparing the north to our lower mainland  counterparts.

 

The Northern Health Authority understands that says Kelly and they have done a good job of trying to dispense health care to a very large area, but, he adds,  you have to keep up with the politics.

He says the politicians need to know the North  is the bread basket of this province, "We produce the money that drives the economy and we cannot be classed as second class in the delivery of health care."

 

Dr. Kelly  says there are still several  areas   which need to be addressed if  northerners are to have equal access to the kind of care that is available in  the lower mainland, but in order to  achieve those goals,  he says there is  a need to remain "political".

 

 

I’m Meisner and that’s one man’s opinion.