CAF sending nursing officers to support Sask. ICUs
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is offering to send medical officers to Saskatchewan to assist in intensive care units (ICU) and provide other health care supports.
CAF said it is prepared to assign up to six Critical Care Nursing Officers to work in Saskatchewan ICUs.
“We are currently working with provincial authorities to ensure these medical professionals will be employed in the best possible location based on the needs of the people of Saskatchewan,” CAF said in an emailed statement.
The armed forces said it will also provide air transport for in or out-of-province critical care patient transfers, as capacity allows. On Friday, the province announced intensive care patient transfers to Ontario would likely increase in the next few weeks, with potential for two to four per day.
Additionally, two support teams could be assigned to backfill Saskatchewan Health Authority nurses that were deployed to provide support in ICUs, and support acute care.
CAF is planning to assist the province until Nov. 17, but noted that date could be extended if needed.
“As supporting CAF personnel travel to Saskatchewan and begin integration training with their provincial counterparts, further updates will be made available,” CAF said.
The federal government approved a request from Saskatchewan for COVID-19 assistance on Friday.
The province reached out to Ottawa for additional assistance Monday morning, the same day it struck a deal with Ontario to transfer COVID-19 ICU patients.
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair said in a tweet that the federal government is also in talks with the province to provide assistance through the Red Cross.
Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili said the response from the provincial government has come at a point where the province's health system is nearing collapse.
"The premier said he needed to exhaust every resource in the province. Let me tell you the healthcare workers in this province are already exhausted, they needed this help weeks ago and Scott Moe let them down," he said.
Professor of community health and epidemiology, Nazeem Muhajarine said the government's response is about one month behind.
"They should have requested it on Sept. 24 or 25," Muhajarine said. "So in between those 30 days, more than 100 people have died."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.