Whitehorse, YT – The Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador (RNU) is urging Premier Ball to join government leaders and health care experts in supporting the implementation of a national pharmacare strategy.

RNU President Debbie Forward joins CFNU and other provincial nursing union leaders in Whitehorse, Yukon for the 2016 Summer Meeting of Canada’s Premiers this week to advocate for advances in health care policy. This includes a firm commitment from provincial and national leaders to make prescription drug coverage part of our universal, public health care system.

“With 91% of Canadians in support of pharmacare, the time to move forward is now,” said Forward. “A national pharmacare plan could save our province $200 million per year. Given our provincial economy, supporting a plan that could generate this amount of savings while improving access to the prescriptions Newfoundlanders and Labradorians need is essential.”

Today the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) will host Canada’s premiers for a meeting that will highlight the need and next steps for a pharmacare program that could save Canada $9-11 billion annually.

“Registered nurses have been calling for pharmacare for years because we know the positive impact it can have in delivering efficient, quality health care,” said Forward. “I am calling on Premier Ball to join us and to be a part of the effort to make the universal drug coverage Canadians want and need a reality.”

The Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador represents more than 5,500 registered nurses working in acute care, long-term care, community, education and research.

– 30 –

For more information please contact:
Kristian Styles
RNU Communications Specialist
709-753-9961
709-727-8051
kstyles@rnunl.ca