Atlantic health ministers work together

19 August 2015

HALIFAX (GNB) – The ministers of health from the Atlantic provinces met today in Halifax to work on improving health care outcomes and access as well as to save money on joint procurement.

Nova Scotia’s Health and Wellness Minister Leo Glavine hosted the meeting. Talks focused on ways the provinces can improve collaboration on generic drugs, opioid monitoring, strategic procurement and rural health care.

“We support federal collaboration with provincial and territorial partners so we can tackle critical needs like community-based care, elder care, mental health and pharmacare,” said Glavine.

The ministers committed to:

find ways to expand access to generic drugs;
continue to enhance opioid monitoring;
explore collaborative procurement options, including joint requests for proposals; and
find innovative ways to improve rural health care.

“Today’s meeting was a great opportunity for all the Atlantic health ministers to gather in the same room to talk about common issues that affect New Brunswickers and all Atlantic Canadians,” said Health Minister Victor Boudreau.

“As a province and a region we are providing better access to medications and reinvesting efficiencies back into competing pressures in our health care systems,” said P.E.I. Health and Wellness Minister Doug Currie. “This fall, our province will launch the first ever Under 65 Generic Drug Plan for the uninsured. We are committed to strong regional collaboration to strengthen regional health care.”

“On behalf of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, I am proud to continue this work with my Atlantic Canadian counterparts,” said Steve Kent, Newfoundland and Labrador Minister of Health and Community Services. “We have identified a number of key areas where challenges can be met collaboratively including mental health service delivery, pharmacare, care for seniors, rural health care, and strategic procurement. We continue to build momentum towards achieving collaborative solutions on priority heath care issues affecting Atlantic Canadians every day.”
Media Contact(s)

Bruce Macfarlane, communications, Department of Health, 506-444-4583.

Tony Kiritsis, Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness, 902-424-0585, tony.kiritsis@novascotia.ca.

NT3