Feds couldn’t keep up with Indigenous communities’ demand for nurses, paramedics: AG – Toronto Star
May 26, 2021
OTTAWA – The federal government was unable to meet more than half of the demands for nurses and paramedics from Indigenous communities and organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic, says the auditor general in a report released Wednesday.
Karen Hogan told a news conference following the report release that Indigenous Services Canada had not addressed the ongoing shortage of health care workers in Indigenous communities.
“When you already start with a shortage of health care workers, the pandemic makes that gap even worse,” she said.
“This long-standing issue, though, is one that does need to be addressed.”
Hogan noted the department expanded access to contract nurses and paramedics to all Indigenous communities and streamlined its hiring processes.
