Posted: Feb 06, 2021 6:00 AM CT | Last Updated: February 6
Winnipegger Ruth Enns on ableism in health care: Biased predictions with the power to act on them can be deadly for those outside the accepted norm, such as disabled people. (CBC)
These are stressful times and front-line workers have laboured heroically in this pandemic. However, heroes have Achilles heels.
Triage is one.
Statistics Canada says 22 per cent of Canadians live with disability, which, I believe, means ableism in medicine affects more than one-fifth of Canadians, whether they realize it or not.
Here are some things to consider when questioning where and why ableism exists.
Last December 5th The Suburban broke the story on a Health Ministry protocol that would limit intensive and emergency care as well as surgeries in cases where ICUs and ERs
Quebec doctors could soon have to make hard life-and-death decisions for COVID-19 patients and others in intensive care, deciding based on age group and how likely they are to survive, among other factors. Some say the province needs to do more to avoid entering this stage.