Torngat Mountains MHA Lela Evans is raising concerns about travel from isolated parts of Labrador that are now impacting appointments for cancer patients.

In a letter to government, Evans is addressing what she calls the chronic failure to deliver adequate patient care to northern Labrador patients. She says patients have a right to adequate health care that includes travel to and from their medical appointments.

“The skedevac service to northern Labrador communities is inadequate, creating multiple problems for patients. These patient travel issues are chronic, on-going, and they impact our quality of life. I get calls practically every week from patients and their families about being bumped off flights or their flights are cancelled altogether, stranding them,” Evans noted in her letter to Lisa Dempster, Minister of Labrador Affairs. “This stress compounds their medical issues impacting their overall wellness. I am attaching
supporting documentation from AngajukKak Barry Andersen. I have received multiple calls again this past week about patients not being able to fly. The most troubling was a stroke patient who had their post-stroke and eye appointment on Tuesday, June 13.

“They finished the appointment and then passed in their blue slip for travel home with their
escort. There were multiple skedevac flights over multiple days but the stroke patient and her
escort are still waiting to fly home, 6 days later. How is this possible? This delay is putting undue
stress on the patient and her escort is deeply concerned about what impact these delays are
having on her overall health.”

NTV’S David Salter will have this story tonight on the NTV Evening Newshour.