opinion
1um May 2024 | Ottawa, Ontario | Health Canada
Today is National Doctors Day, a day to celebrate Canada’s physicians and health professionals who dedicate their lives to the health and well-being of our communities.
Physicians are an essential pillar of our healthcare system and play a critical role in the delivery of healthcare. Despite the many challenges they face, including heavy workloads due to high patient volumes, long hours and staff shortages, they continue to work tirelessly every day to keep us healthy and safe.
We know that words of gratitude are not enough. There is an urgent need to support physicians and help them overcome their challenges so that Canadians receive the high-quality care they need, when and where they need it. That’s why the Government of Canada is supporting healthcare professionals by investing nearly $200 billion to improve healthcare delivery in Canada, with a focus on efforts to support healthcare workers through retention, recruitment and planning.
The Government of Canada, along with provinces and territories, recently committed to taking concrete steps to address the physician shortage, including collaborating on retention issues, conducting a supply and demand study of education and training for essential health care professionals, and shortening the Time spent on incorporating foreign-trained doctors into the healthcare workforce and improving the exchange and standardization of healthcare workforce data.
The government is also increasing the maximum amount of Canada Student Loans granted by 50% for doctors and nurses working in underserved rural or remote communities. In addition, Budget 2024 proposed more than $77 million to integrate internationally trained health professionals into the Canadian health workforce through the creation of 120 dedicated training positions, increasing assessment capacity, and providing assistance in navigating credential recognition systems .
We recognize that the challenges physicians face can impact their mental health and well-being. That’s why we’re providing $3.5 million to the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada to develop a national health workforce wellness plan. Ongoing collaboration with provinces, territories and health sector partners, as well as investments planned in Budget 2024, will help us find immediate and longer-term solutions to the challenges facing the health workforce.
We thank doctors for all the work they do today and every day to keep Canadians healthy.
The Honorable Mark Holland, PC, MP
The Honorable Ya’ara Saks, PC, MP
contacts
Christopher Aoun
Press spokesman
Office of the Honorable Mark Holland
Minister of Health
613-291-4176
Yuval Daniel
Press spokesman
Office of the Honorable Ya’ara Saks
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Deputy Minister of Health
819-360-6927
Media relations
Health Canada
613-957-2983
media@hc-sc.gc.ca
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