All some people want for Christmas is a family doctor. A report released earlier this month from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) shows that 1 in 7 visits to the emergency department is for a condition that can be treated by a primary care provider – a family doctor or a nurse practitioner. Continue reading “A Family Physician for Every Albertan”
Author Archives: Vamini Selvanandan
Seasonal Vaccines Save Lives
The season of deadly respiratory viruses is here. While some people suffer minor inconveniences from respiratory infections, others can experience life-threatening events resulting in hospitalization, ICU admission or worse. Respiratory viruses like influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are more prevalent in the months from fall to spring and can have very serious consequencesContinue reading “Seasonal Vaccines Save Lives”
Local newspapers strengthen democracy
Local newspapers are disappearing across the country. In the United States, a quarter of the country’s newspapers have shut operations in less than twenty years. And in Canada, there have been dozens of community newspaper closures in 2023 alone, with hundreds of workers laid off and several news outlets becoming insolvent. Along with decreased subscriptions,Continue reading “Local newspapers strengthen democracy”
Wildfire damage can be greatly reduced
Albertans are no strangers to the destruction of wildfires. Jasper, Fort McMurray, Slave Lake, and Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation are all communities devastated by wildfire in recent years. We empathize with those who lost their homes, their businesses or their jobs and bear witness to the challenges they face to rebuild their communities and theirContinue reading “Wildfire damage can be greatly reduced”
Climate change is a health crisis
As we cope with extreme heat waves and unpredictable wildfires this summer, it is hard to deny that climate change is a reality. With record setting high temperatures in many places in the West, this stretch of hot weather is a searing reminder of how human actions are affecting our planet. If global warming continuesContinue reading “Climate change is a health crisis”
Avoiding low-value healthcare: sometimes less is more
You can’t get enough of a good thing. Or can you? In Canada, we use public funds to pay for diagnostic tests, surgeries and many medical treatments so it is natural to assume that more medical care is better. The more you get tested, diagnosed and treated, the healthier and longer your life will be.Continue reading “Avoiding low-value healthcare: sometimes less is more”
Is our government working for Albertans?
This month marks a year since the United Conservative Party won the provincial elections under Danielle Smith. Affordability and health care were the top issues identified by Albertan voters in the lead-up to the election. Now a year later, Albertans continue to face high food prices, a lack of adequate and affordable housing and difficultyContinue reading “Is our government working for Albertans?”
Housing is a human right
With asylum seekers dying waiting for shelter space in Mississauga and single mothers denied rental housing in Halifax, Canada’s lack of affordable housing is becoming a frank violation of human rights. Housing, like the need for food and water, is a basic human need. International law recognizes the social right to housing in the UniversalContinue reading “Housing is a human right”
We are sick of sick notes
There is one thing doctors and patients can readily agree upon: we both hate sick notes. Patients loathe waiting long hours in overcrowded waiting rooms to request a note and doctors detest the added burden on the healthcare system in providing one. Sick note policies increase use of scarce healthcare resources as employees are forcedContinue reading “We are sick of sick notes”
We only have one planet
The contemporary environmental crises, driven by overconsumption, threaten the planet. The UN reports a threefold increase in resource consumption, with wealthier nations consuming excessively. Overconsumption fosters anxiety, depression, and climate change. To mitigate this, individuals can reduce travel, buy fewer items, and support policies that promote sustainable infrastructure and economic equality. Governments and businesses also play pivotal roles in addressing overconsumption and safeguarding the planet for future generations.
The Engaged Citizen 