Manitoba NDP promise rural doc recruitment fund, incentives for other staff to work rurally

Описание: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manito...

A Manitoba NDP government would "fix rural health care" by reinstating a grant program to bring in more rural physicians and offering incentives to medical staff who work in rural communities, NDP Leader Wab Kinew promised on Monday.

The party unveiled its five-point plan to improve rural health care with an election campaign-style stop in Virden, Man., part of the Riding Mountain constituency, which has convincingly elected Progressive Conservative MLAs since its formation in 2008. A Manitoba election is scheduled for Oct. 3.

"We came here very conscientiously to send a message that our team is running to lead this province. All of this province," NDP Leader Wab Kinew told a crowd of 70 people at Tundra Oil and Gas Place, including municipal officials from the area, NDP and PC supporters.

Kinew accused the Progressive Conservative government of eroding health care during its seven years in power.

Several western and Interlake Manitoba health facilities have experienced intermittent closures to their emergency departments in recent years.

"They've heard that there may be closures in the near future," Kinew said. "They've asked for reassurances, but the answers have been noncommittal.

Kinew promised to restore a previous NDP program, established in 2001 and revamped in 2010, that gave medical students grants of $12,000 in each of their four years of medical school. It also offered grants to physicians establishing a practice in Manitoba upon graduation.