March 22, 1999
(Health and Community Services)

$10 million for equipment

Joan Marie Aylward, Minister of Health and Community Services, announced today that government will double the commitment it made in January of this year and allocate $10 million to purchase new equipment. The equipment will include surgical, emergency and other priority capital equipment for the health and community services system.

"Government understands the need for modern equipment and facilities," said the minister. "The citizens of the province require access to quality emergency and diagnostic equipment and the need to avail of new technologies. This investment is over and above the annual $4.5 million allocation for equipment."

On January 13, prior to this year's federal budget, the premier and Minister Aylward had announced that the provincial government would commit $5 million for new equipment regardless of the amount of funding allocated to the province by the federal government. The minister said this increase to $10 million further demonstrates that health and community services is this government's number one priority.

Media contact: Glenn Bruce, Communications, (709) 729-1377.

1999 03 22