BC Premier says medical professional staff shortage a global problem

Premier John Horgan is hoping there’ll be progress by the end of the summer on a new health care cost-sharing deal with the federal government.

Horgan says staff shortages in the medical profession aren’t unique to B.C., they’re being felt around the world.

It’s estimated almost a million people in our province don’t have a family doctor.

Horgan added the only way to solve the situation is for the federal government to increase its contributions to the cost.

Right now, Ottawa pays 22 per cent of the health care bill in Canada, the provinces want that increased to 35 per cent.

Such an increase would provide B-C with more than six-billion dollars a year in additional funding.

– with files from Vista Radio newswire