'It's disgusting': Liberals blast Quebec minister over surgery wait list for cancer patients

QUEBEC CITY -

Nearly 1,000 Quebecers with cancer have been waiting more than 56 days for oncology surgery, Liberal health critic André Fortin deplored Tuesday.

The provincial government's target for access to oncology surgery is to have 90 per cent of medically-ready patients operated on in less than 28 days, and 100 per cent in less than 56 days.

When the first surgery catch-up plan was submitted in June 2021, 353 cancer patients had been waiting more than 56 days for their surgery. Two years later, that figure had climbed to 892.

"This is the third time the minister has presented a plan to catch up on surgery, and each time, it gets worse," Fortin denounced during question period at the National Assembly.

"It's disgusting to do that to patients."

The Liberal MNA from Pontiac accused Health Minister Christian Dubé of being "complacent" and lacking "eagerness."

He pointed out that, at present, 87 prostate cancer patients, 66 breast cancer patients and 55 lung cancer patients are not getting surgery on time.

"Can you demonstrate a modicum of urgency, please?" he challenged the minister.

Dubé responded by saying he had "a lot of empathy for people on waiting lists."

Doctors tell us: "I'm not able to operate, because I have patients who are taking up a bed, who are taking up a place in the hospital, when they should be released," Dubé said.

"We're doing everything we can with specialized medical clinics, we're doing everything we can right now, [but] we have limited means."

Addressing service disruptions for pregnant women in Gaspésie, Minister Dubé spoke of nurses' vacations.

He declared that the government had made the choice this summer to allow nurses to take a break. In August, 80,000 of them were absent from the network for various reasons, including vacation, he said.

According to the Liberals, forcing pregnant women to travel hundreds of kilometres to access care is unacceptable: "Not only is their safety at risk but that of their babies as well," lamented MNA Enrico Ciccone.

Dubé responded by asking: "Should we prevent our nurses from taking vacations?"

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Sept. 19, 2023.