Dear Candidate/Party,
Please respond to these important questions.
Our question is, if elected, what action will your government take to ensure that all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are guaranteed safe and timely access to essential cancer care?
Your response will be circulated to cancer patients, caregivers and survivors in Newfoundland and Labrador and included on our website at www.survivornet.ca. Links to your responses will also be posted on Facebook and Twitter.
Response from candidate:
“Thank you for taking the time to reach out to the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador with your question and concerns about the treatment of cancer patients. We wholeheartedly agree that safe and timely care is crucial in the treatment of patients with cancer.
Newfoundland and Labrador was one of the few jurisdictions in Canada that did not have to interrupt cancer treatment throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. While some jurisdictions had to cease essential cancer care services, our province was able to maintain essential treatment.
While we did have a few delays in screening for three months during the height of the first wave, all screening services were resumed and are now completely back up and running. The Regional Health Authorities did an exemplary job in adding extra clinics to ensure we were caught up to pre-pandemic levels. This has continued through the fall and into early winter.
We are very fortunate indeed that the residents of the province followed the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health through the Christmas season and therefore we did not see the rapid rise in case numbers that other jurisdictions have seen. Cancer care services are continuing and people are receiving this vital care.
Thank you for the work that you do for people with cancer across Canada.”