This afternoon, Minister of Health Sarah Hoffman announced a ministerial directive to cancel the request for proposal process for the privatization of laboratory services in Edmonton and northern Alberta. She is also undertaking a review of service delivery models, which we hope will include public consultations.
"We are pleased to see this government is willing to learn from our previous government's mistakes, and is open to seeking public solutions to a public service," stated Sandra Azocar, Executive Director of Friends of Medicare.
During the recent election, the Alberta NDP committed to ensuring that our healthcare system would remain publicly funded with public delivery of services, and it is heartening to see that this commitment has become a promise delivered. We finally have a government in Alberta willing to listen, and willing to act on its promises.
"We want to express our deepest gratitude to the members of Friends of Medicare and all Albertans for their committed engagement in keeping this issue on the agenda over the last two years, and who signed our petition," continued Azocar.
By committing to a review, Minister Hoffman has shown that the public interest matters, especially in a contract process that would award $3 billion to a private, for-profit corporation. We remain steadfast in our view that investing money in our public healthcare system would benefit all Albertans, and we will continue to encourage the government in protecting, strengthening, and expanding it.