Minister of Health Adrian Dix claimed his challenge is an “increase in demand,” as the provincial government explores options to combat the doctor shortage and long healthcare wait times in British Columbia.
“Lots of people are still struggling. We have way more people in the province. The population of Abbotsford in particular…is growing significantly,” Dix told CIVL Radio.
“And so we’re going to have to continue to build out and hire more healthcare professionals to deal with that,” he added.
Dix said while 708 new doctors began work in B.C. from April to December 2023, the province also welcomed 182,000 new residents. He added that there is a plan to introduce a medical school within the Fraser Valley Health Authority to train and retain more doctors for the region.
Listen to the interview with Dix for more details on how his ministry intends to meet critical demands.
