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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
Powerful tornado tears across Nebraska, weather service warns of 'catastrophic' damage
Devastating tornadoes tore across parts of eastern Nebraska and northeast Texas Friday as a multi-day severe thunderstorm event ramped up in the central United States.