Good health care a universal right, Islamic Congress says

Catholic New Times, Sept 26, 2004

WATERLOO -- In the wake of political squabbling over a national pharmacare program addressed in this month's federal-provincial health conference, the Canadian Islamic Congress (CIC) has issued a statement stressing that health care "must remain a right, not a privilege, no matter who you are, how affluent you are, or how sick you are."

"It is time to end the bureaucratic infighting," said CIC national president,. Mohamed Elmasry. "Canada's health care must become more comprehensive, with more basic services covered, including catastrophic drug needs and home care for all. Poor and vulnerable Canadians should not be marginalized."

"A national drug plan must be part of a coherent and integrated national health-care system," Elmasry continued. "A balanced approach to financing is needed, so that low-income earners are not denied access to necessary prescription medication. Poor or neglected treatment, due to financial barriers, can actually lead to increased overall health care costs."

Around the time that national health care was being restructured toward implementing an inclusive, community-based model, the federal government cut back on funding and eliminated many services that would have supported such a system. The biggest single factor was the 1995 federal budget of then Finance Minister Paul Martin, which not only reduced federal funding for health care, but also eliminated the Canada Assistance Plan (CAP), a little-known but critical policy instrument that promoted greater equality in health care delivery across Canada.

The CIC statement concluded by noting that three out of five Canadian families--well over half the population--have no regular physician.