The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Dear Editor, While shortages of doctors and nurses have long received the lion's share of attention from politicians and the media, the truth is that serious and ongoing shortages of lab technologists in rural Manitoba also threaten the availability of health services when we need them. Unless the Minister of Health makes this issue a priority, the problem's only going to get worse. Manitoba simply isn't graduating enough qualified people, and getting new graduates to work in many rural communities is a big challenge Ð for a couple of reasons. Workloads for lab technologists in rural facilities are staggering, and they're often working alone, or working long on-call shifts. Manitoba also pays less than other provinces, making nearby provinces look appealing. Add to that the fact that many lab technologists in rural Manitoba are very close to retiring, and the government's got a big problem on its hands. Without qualified lab technologists, our hospitals in rural Manitoba couldn't function and rural health care would grind to a halt. It's time this issue got the attention it deserves from the NDP government. Leanne Rowat MLA, Minnedosa
