As Ontario’s number of cases of COVID-19 virus grows, many are wondering if the province’s hospitals will have an adequate supply of ventilators.
In a media event Friday, the Health Minister Christine Elliott was repeatedly asked about how physicians should treat each hospitalized case that may require a ventilator.
Elliott was asked whether doctors should give them on a first-come basis, and what type of ethical rules are being drafted to help guide the medical industry if Ontario’s worst-case scenario happens and there aren’t enough of the life-saving devices.
The Health Minister appeared to not want to address the worst-case scenario for the most part.
“We are building up our supply of ventilators so that doctors will be able to supply to them to whoever needs them. We have seen what has happened in other parts of the world and we don’t want Ontario to be in that situation and that is why we are working very hard to build up capacity in our hospitals for personal protective equipment as well as ventilators. Anyone who needs a ventilator should have access to a ventilator,” Elliott stressed.
A follow-up question asked whether they were working on an ethical guideline revolving around a shortage of ventilators to which Elliot responded, “First of all as I indicated before, we intend to have ventilators available to whoever needs one,” Elliott said.
The Health Minister admitted they are working on a guideline.
“We are building out an ethical framework and any physicians who have any questions right now or in the future can refer to Ontario’s ethicist for guidance, we recognize that there will be situations that will require assistance,” Elliott said but drove home they are preparing to get a supply of ventilators that will supply all Ontarians.
