NDP Leader Ryan Meili was joined at the legislative assembly on Monday with one Saskatchewan resident who says the suspension of the organ donation program has affected her significantly.
Jessica Bailey is currently suffering from stage five kidney failure, she had a transplant arranged in September but it was cancelled after health care services in the province including the organ donation program were suspended was suspended due to the redeployment of staff to manage of overcrowded ICUs in the province.
Bailey is frustrated that the provincial government didn’t listen to health medical experts who were calling for tighter restrictions. “I feel betrayed by my government. Why are they not the same efforts for me as they are for these COVID, unvaccinated no less COVID patients, I feel completely betrayed.”
The original donor for Bailey’s transplant would soon be disqualified because they had kidney stones, Bailey noted she has 15 close family and friends who wish to get tested, but are unable to do so with the program being paused currently.
Being on site at the Legislature building, Bailey was hopeful to find some answers from the provincial government about when the organ donation program would resume. “It’s not just me, it’s many people like me and I don’t know why COVID as an illness being the only treated right now where cancer patients and transplant patients etc. are being thrown under the bus.”
The suspension of the organ donation was a tough decision that needed to be made for the fight against COVID-19 according to Health Minister Paul Merriman. He’s hopeful that the Organ Donation program will resume soon, possibly at the end of the month.
Merriman has extended an offer to meet with Bailey in person to discuss the matter further.
