Appreciating our health-care workers

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/12/2021 (1101 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Our health-care system is essential to a functioning province and that is why our health-care workers deserve to be treated fairly and with the utmost respect. Furthermore, they deserve to be properly thanked and acknowledged for the work they have been doing and continue to do to keep Manitobans safe and healthy.

For nearly two years now, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, people working in our health-care system have been forced to work long shifts, put themselves in vulnerable situations and sacrificed so much of their own lives. They workers have given time, put themselves at greater health risks and sacrificed not being at home with their families as much. We all need to be concerned that our health-care workers are not overcome by pandemic fatigue.

I believe that sometimes it can be easy for us to take our health-care system for granted. Many of us who were born and raised here in Canada have never feared not being able to access health-care resources. Today that is changing — just look at the growing number of procedures being delayed because of COVID. The pandemic means our resources are sparse, and we all need to do our part in this pandemic by trying our best not to spread the virus. Being fully vaccinated and getting a booster shot is important — but we can still do more.

With the emergence of the Omicron variant, it is important that we prevent our hospitals from becoming overrun and having to send patients out of province. This means we must be careful and continue to follow public health orders, even though I know we are so tired from the past two years.

The Manitoba government can begin to address the massive shortfalls of our health-care system by treating everyone fairly and ensuring that vacant nursing positions are filled.

The government also needs create a tangible way of ensuring that people with foreign credentials can have those credentials recognized and acknowledged, especially those with medical training. We are not doing a good job of allowing people with health-care skill sets to work in Manitoba. Current programs create obstacles which cause immigrants to have to choose between making a living or going back to school.

It is also important  that we continue to talk about COVID. I know that I am tired of not being able to make plans, not attending events, and not being able to see my friends and family as freely as I once could. I am also tired of the pandemic being the main topic of conversation. However, I am using these feelings as motivation to abide by the restrictions in the hope that we will reach our new normal sooner rather than later.

I want to encourage everyone to continue taking precautions this holiday season. If you have questions about provincial issues or about restriction clarification or facts of COVID in Manitoba, please do not hesitate to get in touch by emailing cindy@gocindy.ca