Health Minister Theresa Oswald today launched the province’s annual flu shot campaign at the Aikins Street Community Health Clinic while acknowledging the seventh annual national Family Doctor Week, which runs until Oct. 16.
“Providing flu shots is just a small part of the important role family physicians play in our lives,” Oswald said. “It is very gratifying to be able to recognize the significant contribution these doctors make on a daily basis to the health and well-being of Manitobans.”
The College of Family Physicians of Canada promotes Family Doctor Week to recognize the dedication of Canadian family doctors to their patients and the importance of the patient-doctor relationship that defines family medicine.
“We are pleased to be able to mark Family Doctor Week and the important role of family medicine,” said Arlene Wilgosh, president and CEO of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA). “The WRHA is working diligently to form closer working relationships with family physicians, incorporating their ideas and feedback into changes within the system.”
The minister noted the province’s successful ongoing efforts to increase the number of doctors providing front-line care to Manitobans and increase their capacity to see patients more quickly, ensuring families have timely access to family doctors. There has been a net increase of 405 doctors, including 223 family doctors, since 1999 in Manitoba. Currently there are 2,442 medical doctors in the province; 1,258 are general physicians, 1,184 are specialists.
The minister said the Manitoba government has embarked on an aggressive strategy to increase its doctor supply by increasing seats at the University of Manitoba, providing substantial tuition rebates for medical school graduates practising in Manitoba, creating incentives for practising in rural and northern Manitoba and creating a family medical-residency program focused on under-served areas of the province. The province has also focused on increasing the capacity of family doctors to see more patients including implementing Advanced Access, an initiative to help clinics reduce the wait to see family doctors.
Oswald received her flu shot today and urged all Manitobans to get theirs, either from their family physician, nurse or other primary-care provider or at one of the clinics being organized by regional health authorities. This year, there is no charge for flu shots whether Manitobans get them from their family physician or a clinic.
“We encourage all Manitobans to take advantage of the no-cost shots and take the first steps against coming down with the flu and possibly spreading it to others,” said the minister. “I got the shot, not the flu and you should too.”
