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Opposition Liberal MHA for the District of Grand Bank,
Judy Foote, is calling on Premier Danny Williams to honour a commitment made
by the former Liberal government to place a CT scanner on the Burin
Peninsula. "I was very pleased to see the MRI
finally installed at Western Memorial Regional Hospital in Corner Brook,"
said Foote. "It is an essential piece of equipment that will improve health
care services to those in the western region of the province. It is
unfortunate, however, that other areas of the province have been without
essential services since the government chose not to include funding for
other previously announced commitments in the budget last Spring.
"The Premier did not cancel funding for the MRI
machine which is located in his own district, and for good reason, since the
need for a second MRI machine was obvious. In doing so, he kept a promise
made by the previous Liberal administration. However, in the same budget,
the government cancelled and delayed other essential projects, including a
new CT scanner for the Burin Peninsula.
"The need for a scanner on the Burin Peninsula has
been identified by medical experts which is why it received approval by the
previous government. Therefore, it is incumbent on the government to follow
through and provide the funding to acquire it.
"Residents often have to travel through harsh weather
conditions, over treacherous roads that are often closed for days at a time,
to receive essential diagnostic services. It is clear that under such
circumstances the lives of people are put at risk. I am again asking Premier
Williams to provide the funding necessary to assist with the purchase of an
essential piece of medical equipment for the Burin Peninsula, just as he has
done for the people who live in the Corner Brook region. Quality health care
should be available to all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians no matter where
they live in the province."
In September 2003, the Liberal government announced
that it would provide funding to assist with the purchase of a CT scanner
for the Burin Peninsula. A CT scanner is a diagnostic tool used for taking
images inside the body. It is useful in the early diagnosis of health
problems and part of the standard of care for patients suffering from
trauma, stroke, cancer and dementia.
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