PALMERSTON– Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones joined Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae in Palmerston on Dec. 5 to announce the addition of 100 new family doctors to serve rural and northern communities.
The announcement, held at the Minto Rural Health Centre, was attended by staff, government officials and health care providers.
The new doctors will be received next year through the Practice Ready Ontario (PRO) program, which was launched by the province in 2023.
“This program breaks down barriers for highly skilled, internationally educated doctors with experience practicing family medicine,” stated Jones.
She added it removes “the requirement to complete unnecessary re-education programs in exchange for the return of service in a rural or northern community.”
Each physician completes a six-week assessment, during which they are trained in all aspects of family medicine, to demonstrate they have the skills required to practice in rural Ontario.
Training includes office, hospital, emergency department, long-term care and home care settings, stated a Dec. 5 media release from the province.
The physicians must then complete a three-year return of service as a family doctor in a rural or northern community.
Twenty-eight family doctors have completed the PRO program and it is anticipated the full 100 doctors will complete their training in 2025.
“Based on the average attachment rates this means an additional 120,000 people will be connected to primary care close to home,” added Jones.
Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team staff, government officials and health care providers gathered at the Minto Rural Health Centre on Dec. 5 to hear the announcement. Photo by Georgia York
Local doctor
The Minto-Mapleton Family Health Team welcomed Dr. Narah Luzinga, who will be opening her practice in Palmerston at the rural health centre.
“I am truly excited about the incredible opportunity that Practice Ready Ontario has created for international medical graduates including myself to become a family physician in Ontario,” said Luzinga.
“This program represents a significant milestone in my journey toward practicing medicine in Canada and I am deeply grateful for the chance to contribute to the health care system of this country.”
Luzinga will be accepting new patients without a primary care provider in the Minto-Mapleton community.
“As an immigrant physician I am honoured to bring my skills and experience and passion for the medicines for this diverse community,” she said.
Luzinga will be under the supervision of Dr. Tamara Chu for her mandatory three-year return of service at the Minto Rural Health Centre.
Ten per cent gap
Jones stated the Ontario government is working to close the gap for people in Ontario not currently connected to a primary care provider, “insuring the remaining 10 per cent of Ontarians who want a primary care provider, can connect to one.”
According to Jones, Ontario has the shortest surgical wait times in all of Canada and is leading the country with 90% of people connected to a care provider.
“We are getting shovels in the ground for over 50 hospital developments that will add over 3,000 new hospital beds and we are adding 49 new MRI machines, including one right here in [Palmerston],” she explained.
Asked by an Advertiser reporter if she sees a future where there is no longer a 10% gap, Jones replied, “Absolutely … we’ve brought in Dr. Jane Philpott to lead what we’ve already started.”
Philpott, Canada’s former health minister, has been tasked by Jones to “in the next five years ensure every Ontario resident who wants a primary care practitioner gets one.”
“When we get a new doctor in town and the doctor can take on a thousand patients that’s upping that 90%,” Mayor Dave Turton told the Advertiser.
He added how proud Minto is of MPP Rae and his accomplishments with the program.
“He looks after us,” said Turton.
