VICTORIA -- B.C. Premier John Horgan and Indigenous Relations Minister Scott Fraser announced new health-care supports for rural, remote and Indigenous communities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new supports include increasing medical transportation for remote communities to larger urban centres, increasing virtual health-care services and providing accommodations for people in need of self-isolation.
“People living in rural, remote and Indigenous communities have unique challenges in accessing the health care they need,” said Horgan in a statement Monday.
“This new collaborative framework will bring immediate relief to these communities, including a commitment to moving patients to the critical care they need at a moment’s notice.”
To bolster B.C.’s medical transportation network, the province has added 55 new ambulances and seven fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter services for British Columbians in rural areas who need transportation to hospitals in urban centres.
Meanwhile, the province says it will provide housing options for people looking to self-isolate, whether that be near their families in remote communities, or near health-care centres in larger urban communities.
A new resource framework will also provide local leaders in rural and Indigenous communities with faster and more flexible access to health-care resources.
Additionally, B.C. is unrolling a new Virtual Doctor of the Day program to connect First Nations members in remote communities to health-care workers using video-calling.
Meanwhile, a newly-developed COVID-19 testing kit, which takes less than 45 minutes to complete, is being deployed in several health authorities – with a priority given to rural and remote sites.
“COVID-19 is a virus that can move extremely quickly and cause a serious decline in health,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health in a statement.
“This presents real challenges for rural, remote and Indigenous communities, for whom access to critical care may not always be close to home. We’re working with our partners to make sure people can access the health care they need, no matter where they live in the province.”
