New OMA President: 'Healthcare Will Decide This Election'
Dr. Nadia Alam says Ontario's doctors will put health care front-and-centre this June.
TORONTO, April 29, 2018 /CNW/ - Doctors in Ontario welcomed the new OMA President, and selected their President-Elect at a busy Council session this weekend, with both vowing to advocate on behalf of the profession and challenges affecting our health system.
Dr. Nadia Alam, a family doctor and anesthetist from Georgetown, was officially sworn into the top job while Dr. Sohail Gandhi a family doctor from Stayner, was elected as her successor and will take over one year from now. Alam has put pressure on the government since getting involved in medical politics, and with the provincial election now only 40 days away, she plans to hit the ground running.
"When patients across this province are waiting in hallways and washrooms and waiting 4.5 years to see a specialist" said Alam, "it's time to demand better from our government on behalf of our patients."
Dr. Gandhi echoed those statements and was critical about the ongoing crisis in our healthcare system.
"In the face of chronic unilateral cuts by government, doctors in Ontario are working harder than ever to keep our health-care system going and ensuring our patients have the care they depend on," said Dr. Gandhi. "It is inexcusable that the government has knowingly underfunded patient care by cutting physician's services."
Outgoing President Dr. Shawn Whatley was applauded for bringing unity to the OMA, advocating for proper system funding, fighting the federal government's small business tax changes, and holding the provincial government to account for their cuts to frontline care. Dr. Alam praised her predecessor, vowing to continue the push for fair treatment of doctors and better care for patients.
"Thank you to Dr. Whatley who was instrumental in restoring fairness and leading Doctors into binding arbitration with the province" said the new President.
After six years without a contract and five years of cuts, doctors in Ontario have entered into binding interest arbitration with the provincial government in search of a fair deal. Dr. Alam wants a government who will work with doctors to fix the problems facing front line care.
"Our first choice will always be to work with government," she concluded. "But when government ignores doctors, demonizes doctors and refuses to fund the system, we will speak out."
SOURCE Ontario Medical Association
Cal MacLellan - Senior Lead, Media Relations, 416-599-2580 (3008), 437-922-9600, [email protected]
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