"Health-Care is facing a crisis" - Canadian Medical Association

Recently I underlined the urgent need for our political parties to start taking the issues that plague our health care more seriously. It seems now that the same call is being urged all over the country. The gravest report, however, comes from Dr. John Turnbull, head of the Canadian Medical Association, who argues that our health care, due to rising costs and lower service, is facing a dire economic crisis.

 

According to recent studies, since 2001 our health care spending has increased on average 7.5% a year, whereas our country's economy as GDP has only grown by 5.2%. This means that unless something is done very soon, our health care spending will likely soar out of control, well beyond what our country's budget can afford. Currently, health care spending accounts for as much as 40% of provincial budgets. 

At the rate things are going, health care looks like it will continue to need more funding, but where will the money come from? Cutting from other sectors isn't the answer, as our other sectors and industries require funding to stay afloat as well. 

What other solutions are there? We need more doctors and nurses as is, so reducing staff will only aggravate the problem. Close hospital? Not likely. Axing health care itself is hardly a viable answer either. That would be not only an entire waste of all the resources we have already commit to it, as well as generations of dreams and striving coming to an end. So where does that leave us?

Some recent reports suggest that one of the reasons our health care is becoming overburdened is due to an overall increase in poor health among Canadians. That's not to say that suddenly people aren't living as long as they used to be, but rather that many people are not living as well as they could. Poverty isn't quite the issue here, rather it is consumption. An estimated 1.6 Billion Dollars is spent on health care dealing with problems and complicated associated with physical inactivity. As well, if Canadians as a whole went out and increased got a mere 10% more exercise a day, we could be saving as much as 150 Million Dollars a year on health care.

These are some impressive numbers, which suggest that your health is not your responsibility alone, when everyone as a whole chips in for health care. Though punishing people who are physically inactive is not the solution, neither is forcing them to pay more taxes. What we need to do, as a whole society, is work together to encourage healthier lifestyles. People won't feel motivated to change their way of life through finger pointing or accusations. Everyone needs support, and friends to share the journey with. Whether you are in great health or not, a couch potato or a regular jogger, it doesn't matter. We all need to chip in, get people on their feat, and help fight these habits of laziness that are invading our culture.