More children's medication arrives in Canada, unclear how much is coming to B.C., and when

Canada's supply of children's cold and flu medication increased by more than 2 million units this week, but it's not known when supplies will arrive in B.C., or how many are on the way to the province.

Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced on Friday that one million bottles arrived this week through foreign imports and about 1.1 million units have been produced domestically so far in November.

In addition, another 500,000 units of children's medication will arrive in Canada over the next three weeks through foreign imports.

“I am seeing a lot of friends and colleagues and pharmacists around the city are starting to receive supply,” said Ottawa pharmacist Dr. Sheli Dattani, vice president of pharmacy affairs for the Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada.

The same can’t be said for B.C.

Jamie Wigston, president of the BC Pharmacy Association, said he hadn’t heard of any shipments arriving.

“I don't know anything about the specific quantities (or) the dates it's coming, anything more than you at the moment,” Wigston told CTV News Saturday.

Even the B.C. Ministry of Health couldn’t say. A statement to CTV News said, in part: “The exact allocation quantity for B.C. is still being determined."

The lack of supply comes as the country sees a surge in the number of sick children. B.C.'s Surrey Memorial Hospital is seeing quadruple as many patients as their emergency department was designed for, and 100 more kids per day than last year – making it one of the busiest pediatric units in the country.

Dr. Ramneek Dosanjh, president of Doctors of B.C., said while there’s no direct correlation between a lack of medication and increased ER visits, it’s another added strain.

“The lack of access to medications, especially pain relievers, to help our infants and pediatric population is definitely stressing and can cause increased anxiety in parents,” Dosanjh said.