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(Queen’s Park): GPO leader Mike Schreiner is pushing the Liberal government to stop dragging their feet on developing an Ontario Lyme disease strategy.
“People with Lyme disease have suffered in silence for too long,” says Schreiner. “After years of misdiagnosis and lack of treatment, it is beyond time for a strategy to properly prevent, diagnose and treat Lyme disease now.”
A motion to develop a Lyme disease strategy for Ontario was unanimously passed in November of 2014. However, the Minister of Health and Long-term Care has yet to announce plans for developing the strategy.
The motion gave the government one year to develop a comprehensive and integrated Lyme disease strategy. According to the Ontario Lyme Alliance, “many physicians are still unable to properly diagnose, test for or treat the disease due to inappropriate guidelines prescribed by the government’s medical bodies.” The strategy is needed now.
Green Party of Canada leader Elizabeth May’s private bill, National Lyme Disease Strategy Act, passed third reading in the House of Commons on June 11, 2014. MPP Mantha’s motion would require that Ontario’s Lyme disease strategy be coordinated with the Action Plan on Lyme Disease being developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
“Tick season is upon us and many Ontarians are unaware of the need for precautions to prevent Lyme disease,” adds Schreiner. “May is Lyme disease awareness month, the perfect time to end the denial and engage the public in developing a Lyme disease strategy.”
“Climate change will increase the threat of Lyme disease,” says Schreiner. “Denial is not an option; the government’s failure to work on a plan is putting your health at risk.”
The GPO is on a mission to bring honesty, integrity and good public policy to Queen’s Park.
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