Healthcare Crisis in Ontario, More Than 11,000 Died Waiting For Surgeries, Scans in Past Year

Over the past year, an estimated 11,000 Ontarians have tragically lost their lives while waiting for crucial surgeries, MRIs, and CT scans.

Among those grappling with the challenges of the current healthcare system is Jordanna Bialo, a 38-year-old patient whose health took a downturn in October 2020. She represents a growing number of individuals desperately seeking answers within the healthcare labyrinth.

In July, after enduring an agonizing year and a half wait to see a gynecologist, Bialo finally underwent a hysterectomy. However, her medical journey took another distressing turn when doctors discovered four additional tumors on her back. Regrettably, obtaining a CT scan became an arduous task.

Bialo voiced her frustrations, saying, “They told me I need imaging done sooner than later, I’ve been on the phone with the hospital for the last two weeks, nobody answers. I’m constantly waiting, it’s a battle.”

Her plight is not isolated, as statistics reveal that only 56 percent of patients in need of CT scans and a mere 35 percent requiring MRIs receive these vital diagnostic tests within their designated timeframes.

Alarmingly, the surgical waitlist in Ontario has ballooned to encompass over 200,000 individuals, exacerbating an already dire situation.

These grim findings are compounded by a 21-page report from CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, which underscores the dramatic increase in hospital staff vacancies, surging by 19 percent in the past year and currently leaving 37,000 positions unfilled.

Michael Hurley, President of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, lamented the situation, saying, “We are one of the wealthiest jurisdictions in the world and we can afford, and we have a moral responsibility, to provide quality care to the people of this province.”

CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions is now urgently calling upon the Ford government to make substantial investments before it becomes too late.

Their recent research report paints a bleak picture, with over 2,000 people perishing while languishing on waiting lists for surgeries last year, marking a nearly 50 percent increase from the previous year. An additional 9,400 patients met a similar fate while awaiting MRIs and CT scans.

For Bialo, her battle against illness is intertwined with the well-being of her son, who witnesses her suffering. She expressed her determination, stating, “The hardest part is my son, my little guy. He’s the most amazing kid in the world, and he is suffering seeing me sick. I have to get better for him.”

In response to the mounting concerns, a spokesperson for Ontario’s Minister of Health released a statement, asserting, “The government is expanding capacity across the province, getting shovels in the ground for nearly 60 hospital developments over 10 years that will add thousands of beds across the province, to connect Ontarians to the care they need now and into the future.”

Parvasi Media Group