Media Clipping — Monday, January 27, 2003, The Halifax Herald

Political courage needed to improve our health system

Opinion: The Leaders

By Danny Graham, Nova Scotia Liberal Party

I RECENTLY VISITED THE Cobequid Multi-Service Centre and some of the people who are working to improve the health of that community.

Although the centre is closely connected to the QEII and the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, it is managed by the people in the community, for the people in the community.

Within the centre, family counselling services are provided, along with health promotion activities for young children. A youth health centre supports adolescents through their unique health challenges. And people who suffer from a heart condition, diabetes, or asthma can receive care, including testing, and counselling to help them manage their conditions for a more active life.

Focussing on prevention, and not just treatment, this centre offers what is known as primary health care.

The Romanow and Kirby reports focus on the great need to enhance disease prevention through primary health care. In Nova Scotia, unfortunately, far too little has been happening on this front. The results are predictable.

Reports consistently suggest that our province has done a substandard job of preventing disease and prolonging healthy lives.

For example, we have the second lowest life expectancy in Canada. We have the highest rate of death from cancer. We have the highest rate of death from respiratory disease.

In addition, we have the highest rates of several preventable chronic diseases. Nova Scotians develop a health disability at an earlier age, and suffer with it longer, than all other Canadians.

The cost in human suffering is simply unacceptable.

The cost in economic terms is also unacceptable. GPI Atlantic has estimated that the loss to the Nova Scotia economy from premature disability and death as a result of smoking, obesity, physical inactivity and poor nutrition is $700 million per year.

The Conference Board of Canada estimates that it costs businesses more than $2,000 per year to employ a smoker rather than a non-smoker.

Workplace health promotion yields a return of $2 for every dollar invested; something many employers are beginning to understand.

Preventable chronic diseases cost the Nova Scotia economy five per cent of GDP.

All of the research suggests that an investment in the health of our citizens is a good economic investment. So, why aren't we discussing health promotion as an economic issue?

Why is a 10 per cent tax cut seen as an economic stimulant, when a healthy population often is not? Why is our health-care system preoccupied with treating illness, and thereby running up health-care costs instead of preventing diseases and keeping costs down?

Smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition cost the health care system $500 million per year. That's enough money to make university education completely free, pay for the health-care costs of seniors in nursing homes, twin 50 kilometres of highway, pay the salaries of 100 nurse practitioners, and still have enough left over for a 10 per cent personal tax cut.

So, why is the government putting $49 million of $50 million from an increased annual tobacco taxes toward general revenue, and thereby to a tax cut that will yield less than $8 per week for a family earning $40,000 per year.

As an economic issue, shouldn't more of that money go to helping smokers quit?

As an economic issue, shouldn't more of that money go to preventing disease and prolonging the lives of Nova Scotians?

As an economic issue, shouldn't more of that money be invested in primary health care, to help Nova Scotians remain healthy and gainfully employed?

At a minimum, shouldn't some of this be given to the new office of health promotion, which, despite the government "hoopla," has no new money or staff?

Provinces and states around the world have successfully worked with their citizens to dramatically improve the health of their population, and thereby support their economy.

We can, too.

With political courage, with insight, and vision, we can build a Nova Scotia where our children have the confidence and the skills to realize their dreams; where seniors know both security and respect; and where our economic strength is rooted in the health and the vigour of our citizens.

Too much of our politics has been about dangling a short-term carrot and forsaking our long-term vision.

Copyright © 2003, Danny Graham