Earlier this week Health Minister Theresa Oswald outlined the province's five-point plan in preparation for a possible fall resurgence of the H1N1 influenza pandemic. Following that announcement, a member of the local media asked the Minister what was being done to ensure there were sufficient health care workers in place to deliver flu vaccinations throughout the province. In response to the question, Oswald replied that her Department was looking into a number of possibilities, including an offer by paramedics to assist in the vaccine administration.
A few weeks back, Health Canada issued an alert saying there may not be enough health care workers available to conduct flu vaccinations on a timely basis. Immediately following that declaration, the Paramedic Association of Manitoba wrote Manitoba Health and outlined the benefits associated with using Paramedics in that capacity within their pandemic planning. Educated, trained and in most cases throughout the province certified to administer medication by injection, it just makes good sense to uilize this group of health care professionals to augment the traditional vaccine delivery model.
All eleven Regional Health Authorities have Paramedics at their disposal (directly employed or through service delivery contracts) that administer injected medications on a daily basis. There are more than 700 Paramedics employed in either a full or part time capacity within our health care system. There is no reason to think that Manitoba doesn't have the health care resources to efficiently and effectively deliver flu vaccinations on a very timely basis should the need arise.
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