Category: Medical assistance

OTTAWA, ON, August 13, 2021 / CNW / – Medical assistance in dying (MAID) is an important, sensitive and emotional issue for many Canadians. The government of Canada is committed to ensuring that its laws support the autonomy and freedom of choice of Canadians and protect the vulnerable.

Today, the Honorable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, and the Honorable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, announced the Expert Group on MAID and Mental Illness, as required by the new legislation on MAID which entered into force on March 17, 2021. The expert group will present recommendations to the Minister of Health and the Minister of Justice in March 2022 on protocols, advice and guarantees for MAID by people with mental illness.

The 12 members of the Expert Panel on MAID and Mental Illness reflect a range of disciplines and perspectives, including clinical psychiatry, MAID assessment and delivery, law, ethics, training and regulation of health professionals, mental health care services, in addition to people who have lived experience with mental illness.

The new law on MAID requires the ministers of health and justice to present the final report of the expert group to parliament shortly after its receipt, after which the government of Canada and parliamentarians will be responsible for determining whether further legislative changes are needed.

The Expert Panel’s recommendations will help ensure that physician-assisted dying can be delivered in a safe and compassionate manner to people with mental illness, and that practitioners are equipped to assess requests against rigorous clinical standards. and legally mandated guarantees to be applied consistently in all Canada.

Estimate

“Protecting vulnerable people, including those suffering from mental illness or in crisis, is a priority for the Government of Canada. This is why the work of the Expert Group is so important to me. The Expert Panel will provide us with independent and objective advice on the safe and appropriate means to assess and provide medical assistance in dying to people living with mental illness who seek this avenue to end their suffering. The work of the expert panel will be difficult, but it will reassure Canadians that we are balancing justice and compassion. ”

The Honorable Patty Hajdu
from Canada health Minister

“Our government remains committed to ensuring that our laws protect the vulnerable. This is especially important in the context of a complex problem like MAID. I look forward to following the work of the Expert Group on MAID and Mental Illness and reading the findings of the Expert Group. Their work is essential to ensure that physician-assisted dying is delivered in a safe and compassionate manner to all eligible Canadians.

The Honorable David Lametti, PC, QC, MP
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Fast facts

• The revised MAID legislation (former Bill C-7) received Royal Assent and became law on March 17, 2021. The new law extended eligibility for medical assistance in dying to people whose death is not reasonably foreseeable, while also modifying other aspects of the guarantees included in the law.
• Canadians whose only health problem is a mental illness and who otherwise meet all eligibility criteria will not be eligible for medical assistance in dying until. March 17, 2023. This temporary exclusion will provide the government with Canada over time to study the expert group’s findings and recommendations and determine the best approach to address them.
• According to the revised legislation, a report containing the conclusions and recommendations of the expert group is to be submitted to the ministers by March 17, 2022 (i.e. within one year of the date of Royal Assent of former Bill C-7).
• The expert group’s report will help parliamentarians determine whether additional safeguards should be added for people seeking medical assistance in dying and suffering from mental illness. Regulatory bodies and professional associations can also develop appropriate guidance and resources for their members in anticipation of MAID eligibility for people with mental illness in particular. the 17th of March, 2023.
• Changes to from Canada The AMM law is the result of more than five years of experience with AMM in Canada. The new law responds to feedback from over 300,000 Canadians, experts, practitioners, stakeholders, provinces and territories, provided during the months of January and February 2020 consultations. It is also based on the testimony of more than 120 expert witnesses heard throughout the study of former Bill C-7 by the House of Commons and the Senate.

Related links

SOURCE Health Canada

For further information: Contacts: Thiery Bélair, Office of the Honorable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, 613-957-0200; Media Relations, Health Canada, 613-957-2983, [email protected]; Chantalle Aubertin, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, (613) 992-6568, [email protected]; Media Relations, Department of Justice Canada, 613-957-4207, [email protected]; Public inquiries: 613-957-2991, 1-866-225-0709

Yesterday evening, the first 10 members of the third ANZMAT deployment – Charlie – arrived in Nadi.

ANZMAT Charlie will be deployed to Fiji for three weeks at the request of the Fijian government and on the advice of ANZMAT Bravo medical experts already in Fiji.

ANZMAT Charlie will partner with his counterparts in the Fijian Ministry of Health and Medical Services to support the critical care capacity of frontline health workers in Fiji and further strengthen medical systems to meet the challenges of the COVID outbreak -19 in Fiji.

Led by Bronte Martin, Director of Nursing at the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Center and Wing Commander of the Royal Australian Air Force Specialized Reserve, ANZMAT Charlie will build on the work of the two previous ANZMAT medical assistance teams , Alpha and Bravo, sent to Fiji in June and July.

This third ANZMAT deployment will straddle ANZMAT Bravo for nine days, maximizing support in this time of great need, and also continuing ANZMAT’s earlier support for infection prevention and control measures in hospitals and healthcare facilities in the United States. central and western divisions.

“Australia wasted no time in supporting our Fijian vuvale as we tackle the challenges of COVID-19 together. The arrival of ANZMAT Charlie is another reflection of our continued commitment to support Fiji and in particular the Fijian frontliners as they continue to face the virus head-on. We hope that this aid, along with the million vaccines provided by Australia, will help curb the spread of this terrible virus, ”said Australian High Commissioner to Fiji John Feakes.

ANZMAT Charlie will bring more life-saving COVID-19 equipment and supplies in the coming days, including more oxygen concentrators, flow meters and PPE, to help healthcare facilities.

Australia and New Zealand have pledged to support Fiji to ensure they recover from this outbreak. Stronger together.

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BATON ROUGE, Louisiana (WAFB) – Members and leaders of the Our Lady of the Lake team will welcome the Department of Health and Human Services Disaster Medical Assistance team who will provide support and capacity increased patient care at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.

The HHS DMAT team will consist of two physicians, three mid-level providers, seven nurses, 11 paramedics, a respiratory therapist, two pharmacists, a mental health specialist and six administrative support specialists.

Their team will be here for a month and will allow us to open six additional COVID intensive care beds and provide clinical assistance to our existing COVID units.

The 33-member team was greeted by Notre-Dame du Lac this morning with a traditional hand-blessing ceremony as they come together to treat the largest number of COVID-19 patients the region has seen so far. present due to the Delta variant.

“We are delighted to welcome National Disaster Health Professionals to join our teams and support the continued influx of patients we know,” said Stephanie Manson, Director of Operations at Our Lady of the Lake. “Thanks to their presence, we are able to admit patients faster, open an additional intensive care unit and provide assistance to our existing COVID-19 units. We appreciate the support of our state and federal government in responding to our request for assistance.

Notre-Dame du Lac is currently treating 155 COVID-19 patients in hospital, about a third of whom are in intensive care. On average, a COVID-19 patient is admitted hourly in addition to a constant influx of patients entering the emergency department. The hospital has already put an earlier hiatus on elective hospitalization procedures to make additional beds and staff available to COVID-19 patients. “

Our beds are full of COVID-19 patients who are mostly unvaccinated. Over the past two weeks, we’ve seen a rapid influx of younger patients under the age of 50 entering our hospitals with the Delta variant, ”Manson said. “The best way to protect yourself and your family from the highly transmissible virus raging in our community is to get yourself vaccinated. “

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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – You may not have heard the trumpet sound “CHARGE! But state cavalry has arrived to help fight the surge of COVID-19 cases in southwest Missouri.

Governor Mike Parson announced on Thursday that additional staff and supplies were being sent to Springfield and Greene County as the large number of new cases that had gained national attention overwhelmed the region’s health system.

On Friday, this cavalry got down to work with ambulance response teams made available to help local hospitals. The teams consist of 10 advanced resuscitation ambulances, 20 medical staff, two response team leaders and a logistics specialist, all to help transport patients with COVID-19.

The rest of the state cavalry were not visible to the public, but their presence was indicated by small road signs along Grand Street and the Kansas Expressway (right next to a “Sale of garage ”) which read:“ COVID-19 infusions by appointment only.

These signs can be found in the former Price Cutter store in South Springfield, which is now managed by the Jordan Valley Community Health Center.

For a while, the building was used for mass vaccinations, then closed when demand declined. Now it is increasingly intensive for antibody treatments with the help of local health officials and 10 members of DMAT, the state’s disaster medical assistant team, a group that you would normally associate with a major tragedy like a tornado.

“You use an analogy with a tornado coming on, it’s almost like that with the number of patients getting sick and the shortage of health workers in the city,” said Lisa Cillessen, clinical pharmacist from Jordan Valley. “It’s really important that the state recognizes that it’s not right here in Springfield and that it’s time to do something before it gets to a catastrophic level and we call on the federal government.”

“It’s important to realize how taxed the health care system is in the Springfield area,” added Dr. Matthew Stinson, executive vice president of Jordan Valley. “Being able to do this in a week has been almost unprecedented and we really appreciate that the governor’s office is stepping up and providing the resources. “

Appealing to the state for emergency help is something local health officials never had to do during the worst of the pandemic last year when Springfield was on lockdown, which should give you an idea of ​​how serious things are now.

“It’s worse now than it originally was,” Cillessen said. “In the beginning, we had time during these lockdown phases to create additional resources. We do not have a lockdown period now to rebuild this infrastructure as we had before. “

What is currently being done in the Jordan Valley with state aid are infusions of monoclonal antibodies. These are not antibodies taken from COVID-19 patients but antibodies produced in the laboratory instead. They are not used on seriously ill patients, but on patients with mild or moderate illnesses to prevent them from getting worse.

“It’s for people who have the disease who have a high risk of progression,” Stinson said. “These are the people who are admitted to the hospital so it is important for us to treat them and keep them out of the hospital.”

“We are looking at the high risks that could get them to hospital,” Cillessen added. “Chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, overweight or obesity. When we started doing the infusions, most of the patients were 50, 60, 70 and 80 years old. Now most of them are in their 20s to 30s and honestly they have worse symptoms than what we were originally seeing.

Like vaccines, the latest versions of the monoclonal antibodies have only been approved for emergency use, but Cillessen said she doesn’t see much reluctance over infusion offers.

“It’s not fully FDA approved, but they feel so bad they don’t care,” she said of the sick patients who qualify. “They just want to get better.”

It takes about three hours to receive an infusion treatment and from next week the Jordan Valley site will treat up to 33 patients per day. The plan should be open seven days a week for the next two weeks and then reassess the situation.

Prospective patients should be referred and should receive the infusion within 10 days of the onset of their first symptoms. Cillessen also stressed that the first thing a patient should do if they think an infusion could help them is to take a COVID-19 test.

“Get tested wherever you can as quickly as possible,” she said. “We need to have this test before we can do an infusion for you. But most patients will start to feel better in about 24 to 48 hours, and most of the patients I have worked with have had complete resolution of symptoms within a week.

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Copyright 2021 KY3. All rights reserved.

(By Christen Smith | The Center Square) – Workers with disabilities in Pennsylvania can now earn up to $ 61,000 a year before losing access to some of their medical assistance benefits.

Act 69 became law on July 1 and nearly doubles the income cap of $ 32,000 for the program in an effort to tackle widespread unemployment and underemployment for beneficiaries often forced to choose between maintaining coverage and accepting better employment paid.

Representative Katie Klunk, R-Hanover sponsored a version of the legislation in the House and said it was inspired by a man she knew who was living with a “debilitating” illness requiring continued care.

“When he returned to work, he found he would earn too much money to qualify for the necessary medical services covered by MAWD. [Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities], “she said.” Instead of returning to the position he loved, he chose to take a lower paying position in order to continue to contribute while receiving much needed services. “

Klunk and his co-sponsor, Representative Dan Frankel, D-Pittsburgh, said 35% of disabled program beneficiaries work and only 21% report full-time employment. Others refuse marriage because their partner’s property would result in disqualification.

“For people who need help dressing in the morning, getting into their wheelchairs and meeting other basic needs of daily living, Medicaid is the only way to meet those needs,” said Klunk. “This means that skilled, hardworking and capable employees must put ambition aside. “

The “Catch-22” that many recipients find themselves in is “the opposite of what our public policy should be doing,” she added.

“This means that families are denied the necessary income, that individuals are denied a fulfilling professional life and that our communities are denied the talents of highly skilled and willing workers,” she said.

Under the new law, workers who earn more than $ 61,000 will not lose their coverage either. Instead, they will contribute more of their income to cover their services. The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that these changes will expand coverage to 1,000 residents.

German Ambassador to Windhoek Herbert Beck last week handed over a special ambulance and medical supplies to the local non-profit emergency medical assistance organization EMA.

A total of N $ 1,888,610 from the 2020 German Embassy micro-projects fund has been made available for the purchase of a special ambulance and medical equipment to mitigate the high impact of Covid-19 on residents of Windhoek.

The main objective is to help vulnerable members of the community by providing them with free access to emergency medical care and transport to hospital. This service is primarily intended for people without medical assistance and unable to pay for emergency medical services.

EMA provides a rapid response emergency medical service including immediate medical attention by qualified professionals and subsequent transfer to a recognized medical facility. It serves all sites in Windhoek, including informal settlements.

With the intensive care negative pressure ambulance specially equipped for COVID-19 cases, the EMA will complement the already existing emergency service of the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the City of Windhoek by providing a service rapid intervention medical. Given the current COVID-19 situation, this special ambulance will increase the patient’s chances of survival during transport.

The transfer of powers took place in the presence of the Deputy Minister, Jérémie Nghipundjwa, Acting Deputy Executive Director, officially delegated to represent the Ministry of Health and Social Services, as well as the Acting Deputy Executive Director, Petronella Masabane .

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Ambassador Herbert Beck, with Fabian Martens of the EMA-Emergency Medical Assistance Organization.

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(The Center Square) – Workers with disabilities in Pennsylvania can now earn up to $ 61,000 a year before losing access to some of their medical assistance benefits.

Act 69 became law on July 1 and nearly doubles the income cap of $ 32,000 for the program in an effort to tackle widespread unemployment and underemployment for beneficiaries often forced to choose between maintaining coverage and accepting better employment paid.

Representative Katie Klunk, R-Hanover sponsored a version of the legislation in the House and said it was inspired by a man she knew who was living with a “debilitating” illness requiring continued care.

“When he returned to work, he found he would earn too much money to qualify for the necessary medical services covered by MAWD. [Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities], “she said.” Instead of returning to the position he loved, he chose to take a lower paying position in order to continue to contribute while receiving much needed services. “

Klunk and his co-sponsor, Representative Dan Frankel, D-Pittsburgh, said 35% of disabled program beneficiaries work and only 21% report full-time employment. Others refuse marriage because their partner’s property would result in disqualification.

“For people who need help dressing in the morning, getting into their wheelchairs and meeting other basic needs of daily living, Medicaid is the only way to meet those needs,” said Klunk. “This means that skilled, hardworking and capable employees must put ambition aside. “

The “Catch-22” that many recipients find themselves in is “the opposite of what our public policy should be doing,” she added.

“This means that families are denied the necessary income, that individuals are denied a fulfilling professional life and that our communities are denied the talents of highly skilled and willing workers,” she said.

Under the new law, workers who earn more than $ 61,000 will not lose their coverage either. Instead, they will contribute more of their income to cover their services. The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that these changes will expand coverage to 1,000 residents.

This afternoon, Fijian Minister of Health and Medical Services Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete joined Australian High Commissioner to Fiji John Feakes and New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji Jonathan Curr to welcome a second ANZMAT team – Bravo – which will include 14 medical staff. from Australia and New Zealand and three liaison officers.

The Bravo team, the majority of whom arrived aboard an Australian Defense Forces (ADF) C-17 aircraft today, will replace the Alpha ANZMAT team which has been in Fiji since June 21, working closely together. with their counterparts in the Department of Health and Medical Services to combat the spread of COVID-19 in Fiji.

Other medical personnel will arrive in the coming days.

“The Government of Fiji is truly grateful for the support provided to us by the Government of Australia and the Government of New Zealand through the Australian-New Zealand Joint Medical Assistance Team.”

“It couldn’t have come at a better time. We needed help, and you have generously offered to stand by our side during this very difficult time. The ANZMAT Alpha team have been doing extremely well over the past few weeks and we thank them for their efforts.

“FEMAT and the ministry look forward to working with the replacement Bravo team to tackle this deadly virus in Fiji for the health of our people,” Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete said.

In addition to transporting the team, the C-17 brought:
3 fully equipped ambulances
2000kg of PPE & medical supplies
50 stretcher beds
Oxygen concentrators and medical equipment to meet critical care needs

“Aotearoa New Zealand is proud to deploy a second group of New Zealand medical specialists, alongside our Australian partners, to this medical assistance team, to further support the management of Fiji’s health system.

“The spirit of the Vuvale has never been stronger, and we will continue to work collectively to strengthen Fiji’s resilience in the face of COVID-19,” New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji Jonathan Curr said.

Based on advice from the Alpha ANZMAT team, the majority of which will leave Fiji for Australia on Monday July 19, this ANZMAT Bravo team will primarily focus on infection prevention and control, workforce and systems at Colonial War Memorial Hospital and will provide support to other facilities in Suva, including FEMAT Hospital, as required.

“Australia continues to support Fiji as we fight COVID-19 together. “

“Bravo’s arrival today signals our commitment to Fiji and brings new hope to the frontline heroes of Fiji who have been hit hard by this terrible virus for many months. “

“With the million vaccines provided by Australia, we hope this support will help Fiji bring the epidemic under control,” said John Feakes.

On Monday July 19, most of the ANZMAT Alpha team, which arrived on June 21, will leave Fiji.

While there, the team helped the Department of Health and Medical Services establish an intermediate care facility at the National Gymnasium, which will serve as a model for other ICFs to be created by the Fijian government.

Dr Naomi Gough, a New Zealand Defense Forces medical expert who has deployed with Team Alpha, will remain in Suva until the end of July and will continue to provide public health advice.

The Alpha team has deployed a rapid response unit to numerous health facilities in Suva to help local staff strengthen infection prevention control protocols.

They studied the entire health system in Suva, including looking at the oxygen capacity of Fiji.

As Fiji continues to face the full brunt of COVID-19 and its devastating effects, Australia and New Zealand stand ready to support Fiji’s health systems and their frontline heroes to ensure that Fiji can recover.

Together we can.

Swiss Humanitarian Aid sent 40 ventilators and 45 oxygen concentrators to the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar, for a total value of around CHF 850,000 ($ 930,000).

This content was published on July 12, 2021 – 17:13

July 12, 2021 – 5:13 PM

swissinfo.ch with Keystone-SDA / ts

“In view of the public health situation in Mongolia and in response to a request for assistance from the Mongolian authorities, Swiss Humanitarian AidExternal link has decided to support the country in its efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, ”the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.External link Monday.

A Federal Air Transport Service plane left the Dübendorf military air base near Zurich for Ulaanbaatar on Monday. In addition to the 40 respirators provided by the Pharmacy of the Swiss Armed Forces, the shipment also includes 45 oxygen concentrators.

The equipment will be received in Ulaanbaatar by the local authorities and then transported to various sites, in particular to hospitals specializing in the care of women and children. The Swiss representation in Mongolia is in close contact with the authorities to ensure that humanitarian goods are distributed fairly according to need, in accordance with humanitarian principles, the foreign ministry said.

The shipment to Mongolia is the fourth shipment of humanitarian goods from Switzerland to Asia in recent weeks. Swiss Humanitarian Aid, which is part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has already sent 13 tonnes of aid to India (May 6), 30 tonnes to Nepal (May 21) and 16 tonnes to Sri Lanka (June 7).

Switzerland is helping Mongolia fight the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday July 12, Swiss Humanitarian Aid sent 40 respirators and 45 oxygen concentrators to Ulaanbaatar for a total value of around CHF 850,000.

In view of the public health situation in Mongolia and in response to a request for assistance from the Mongolian authorities, Swiss Humanitarian Aid has decided to support the country in its efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Federal Air Transport Service plane left Dübendorf on Monday for Ulaanbaatar. In addition to the 40 respirators provided by the Swiss Armed Forces Pharmacy, the shipment also includes 45 oxygen concentrators.

The equipment will be received in Ulaanbaatar by the local authorities and then transported to various sites, in particular to hospitals specializing in the care of women and children. The Swiss representation in Mongolia is in close contact with the authorities to ensure that humanitarian goods are distributed fairly according to need, in accordance with humanitarian principles.

Mongolia is a priority country for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). In addition to this equipment, the SDC also donated CHF 150,000 to the Mongolian Ministry of Health for the purchase of three x-ray machines.

Strong Swiss support to fight COVID-19 in Asia

The shipment sent to Mongolia on Monday is the fourth shipment of humanitarian goods from Switzerland to Asia in recent weeks. Swiss Humanitarian Aid, which is part of the FDFA, has already sent 13 tonnes of aid to India (06.05.2021), 30 tonnes to Nepal (21.05.2021) and 16 tonnes to Sri Lanka (07.06.2021). Switzerland continuously monitors the health situation around the world in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. He stands ready to respond to requests for support whenever possible.

Address for inquiries:

FDFA communication
West wing of the Federal Palace
CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland
Phone. Communication department: +41 58 462 31 53
Phone. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @SwissMFA