Partisan Sask. Party privatization czar at SHA puts future of public health care at risk

The recent appointment of a longtime Sask. Party political operative at the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) tasked to oversee the privatization of health care across the province is a clear signal that the government is moving forward with their plans to take even more publicly provided health care services and place them in the hands of private, for profit corporations.

“The Sask. Party has been chipping away at the privatization of public health services for years,” said SFL President Lori Johb. “First with privatizing hospital laundry services and private MRIs- none of which have improved the quality of care or reduced wait times. Now, under the cover of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, the Sask. Party is intent on further gutting our public health system and handing it over to their corporate donor friends in the private sector.”

Johb said that the appointment of a partisan political operative with no experience in health care administration to an executive position at the SHA expressly tasked with privatizing health care should be a warning to everyone dedicated to protecting and maintaining our public system.

“Those working in executive positions should have expertise and demonstrated experience working in public health care administration. This appointment is, at best, cronyism, and at worst, proof of the Sask. Party moving forward with their plans to gut the public health system.”

Johb called on the Sask. Party to reverse the appointment and cancel the position of “Vice President of Enterprise Initiatives Support” at the SHA.

“The Sask. Party has done immense damage to our health care system- their continued refusal to listen to doctors and health experts throughout the pandemic has overwhelmed frontline workers and brought our public system to its knees. It’s unbelievable that, in the midst of a fifth wave, the Sask. Party would move forward with plans to privatize health care instead of investing in and making our public system better. This position must be cancelled, and the appointment reversed.”