Ottawa ready to help Sask. battle COVID-19 surge, federal health minister says
CBC
Federal health minister Patty Hajdu says Ottawa is ready to help Saskatchewan deal with its COVID-19 surge, but it remains unclear whether the province will formally ask for assistance.
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Saskatchewan continue to climb, which have caused a number of disruptions in the province's health-care system, including the halting of the organ donation program.
In a tweet on Friday, Hajdu said she spoke with Saskatchewan health minister Paul Merriman and "ensured he knows that the federal government will be there to help the people of Saskatchewan in this health crisis. We stand ready to help wherever we are needed."
Hajdu told CBC News on Sunday that Saskatchewan has not yet formally requested federal aid but that "we'll be ready as soon as they trigger that request."
The federal government has said it will pitch in after Alberta asked for help with airlifting COVID-19 patients, ICU-registered nurses and respiratory therapists.
Hajdu did not say whether she or Merriman initiated the call on Friday.
"I was very interested in reconnecting with the ministers in particular with some of the provinces that are seeing the kinds of health-care crises that we're seeing in the west and certainly with the provinces that are having increased caseloads," Hajdu said.
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