The Department of Health and Social Services has fired back after two local doctors launched some pointed criticisms of the Yukon health care system.

Judy Booth, the department’s acting communications director, told The Yukon Star Monday afternoon “having the right space and facilities is critical for care to be delivered. We know there are significant needs in the Yukon for new health infrastructure, and addressing health infrastructure is a priority for the Government of Yukon.”

Booth added the government has issued a request for proposal (RFP) for a health infrastructure review in collaboration with the Yukon Medical Association (YMA) and Yukon Hospital Corp. that “will give us the information we need to plan territory-wide infrastructure upgrades, including for hospital infrastructure.

“We have received a quote and are reviewing with the potential vendor to ensure the outcome will meet our needs and allow us to develop a feasible plan to maintain and grow our buildings,” she said.

“We are prioritizing work to expand capacity at Whitehorse General Hospital and in our long-term care homes.”

Dr. Alex Kmet, the YMA’s president, sent a second critical letter to the Star this week about the health care system.

“In 2018, a report titled ‘Whitehorse General Hospital: Surgical Services Renewal Project’ was completed,” he wrote.

“The report recommended a 20-year requirement of four operating rooms when accounting for population growth, aging demographics, waitlists, and backlogs. It  recommended the four ORs be identical for consistency, flexibility and safety. It also outlined a  requirement to significantly increase hospital infrastructure.

“Today, WGH has the only two ORs in the territory,” Kmet added. “It also has a flex room that can accommodate minor diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Despite the  tremendous efforts of doctors, nurses, cleaning staff and booking clerks to step up and do more  with the same, this strain is unsustainable, and patients are suffering as a result.” (See full letter in today’s Opinion section.)

The Yukon Party commented on the situation Tuesday.

“The Yukon Party official Opposition is urging the minister of Health and Social Services (Tracy-Anne McPhee) to listen to health professionals and finally take their concerns seriously by addressing long wait times, overcrowding in the Whitehorse hospital, chronic underfunding of our hospitals, and staff shortages,” the party said in a statement. 

“The territorial Liberals have worsened the health care crisis by underfunding the Yukon Hospital Corporation, as confirmed by a 2023 independent review by Ernst & Young covering four years of financial statements. The review found the Yukon Hospital Corporation suffered from a ‘chronic cash flow and operating shortfall’ for years under the territorial Liberal government.”

Health and Social Services critic Brad Cathers said “we continue to see well-respected Yukon doctors making public comments about the growing crisis in the Yukon’s health care system.

“My colleagues and I have been calling for more funding for our hospitals for years, but the Liberal government has neglected our hospitals to the point where even an independent report Premier Pillai commissioned concluded Yukon Hospitals suffer from a ‘chronic cash flow and operating shortfall.’ The territorial Liberal government is out of touch with patients, failing to invest in our hospitals, and continues to ignore the calls from doctors for real action.”