News Release
1997-47
August 1, 1997
Joint statement by Health Ministers and the Red Cross on plans for the new blood system
OTTAWA-Health Minister Allan Rock and New Brunswick Minister of Health and Community Services Russell King, on behalf of Federal/Provincial/Territorial (F/P/T) Health Ministers, and Mrs. Janet Davidson, President of the Canadian Red Cross Society, today issued a joint statement regarding the orderly transition to a new national blood system.
Earlier this week Ministers Rock and King spoke with the Red Cross Governors via conference call to inform them that Canada's Health Ministers had agreed to offer the Red Cross the role of non-exclusive donor recruitment in the new system.
The Board of Governors of the Red Cross considered the proposal carefully to determine whether the proposed role would benefit Canadians and strengthen the ability of the Red Cross to serve the public.
"In our view, it is in the best interest of all Canadians to allow the new agency to keep all the blood program operations integrated," said Janet Davidson. "Integration is the only way to ensure clear accountabilities, transparency of the system and safety and security of supply. If the operations of the National Blood Authority are to be truly integrated, the blood system would benefit more by our absence than our assistance in the recruitment of donors."
Mrs. Davidson said today that the Red Cross understands the view of governments and welcomes the opportunity to begin discussions about the details of a smooth transition to a new system. During the transition period, the Red Cross will continue to collect and distribute blood.
F/P/T Ministers have informed the Red Cross that a negotiator will be appointed soon to represent them in discussions about detailed matters of transition. The period of transition is not yet determined, but all parties involved agree that transition should occur as quickly as possible.
"The Red Cross has provided vital services to Canadians over the past 100 years, not only through its activities in blood services, but in its many humanitarian and relief activities, both at home and abroad," said Minister Rock.
Minister King added that Canadians owe a great debt of gratitude to the Red Cross for its humanitarian activities, and speaking on behalf of Health Ministers, he hoped that the Red Cross would continue to provide these essential and valued services into the future.
When they met on July 25 Health Ministers, except Quebec, confirmed their intent to meet the target of September to establish a new authority to operate Canada's blood system in order that public confidence can be restored and enhanced.
When it is in place, the new authority will operate at arm's length from governments and have the flexibility to enable it to deal with emergencies and ensure rapid response to new and emerging threats to the blood supply.
Details of transition to the new blood system will be worked out in negotiations between the Red Cross and representatives of the governments. Both the Red Cross and Health Ministers indicated it is vital that current Red Cross blood services workers and volunteers continue their service in the blood system. Human resource issues are an important part of the transition discussions, they added.
They also encouraged blood donors to continue to give their gift of blood, which is of vital importance to the thousands of Canadians who need blood and blood products every year. The model for a new blood system which Ministers have endorsed is designed to provide Canadians with a national blood system which meets the ministerial principles of safety, accountability, transparency to consumers and the public, and full-integration.
- 30 -
Media Inquiries:
Health Canada
(613) 957-1803
Antoine Normand
National Director, Public Affairs
Canadian Red Cross Society
(613) 739-2251
Jennifer Lang
Minister's Office
Health Canada
(613) 957-0200
Gerald Weseen
Director, Communications
New Brunswick Health and Community Services
(506) 453-2536
Public Inquiries:
(613) 957-2991
|
