Islanders, opposition ask province to step up on fertility supports, women's health care
CBC
Vanessa Hardy is facing what she says may be her last chance at becoming a parent.
In January, she'll begin an in-vitro fertilization treatment that she said has been delayed by years — in part because of a lack of fertility supports in Prince Edward Island.
“It's about $26,000.... I'm 39, so this is probably going to be my only chance at doing this,” Hardy said of the treatment she'll undergo in Halifax.
“It took a while for us to save up the funds for that; it delayed it by years.”
Hardy was at the legislature Friday, where fertility supports were the subject of debate during question period. The Opposition Liberals accused the Progressive Conservative government of not doing enough to support Islanders struggling with infertility.
Liberal MLA Gord McNeilly brought up the PC government’s 2019 platform, which included a promise to “reinstate a fertility specialist to implement fertility training and IVF treatment.”
“Islanders voted for this government in 2019 because of that promise in your election platform,” McNeilly said.
“[Families] don’t have six years…. They’ve waited and waited patiently. They’re running out of patience.”
He called on Premier Rob Lantz to “stand up” and commit to changing the Fertility Treatment Program funding model in P.E.I. The program provides between $5,000 and $10,000 per year, based on family income, for expenses associated with IVF and intrauterine insemination. Advocates have called the funding insufficient, and the income testing unfair.
Lantz said he's had conversations recently with New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt about how the Maritime provinces should not duplicate specialty services like fertility treatment, but rather explore ways to share them.
“If we were ever to move in that direction, I would like Prince Edward Island to be a centre of excellence for reproductive care and women’s health,” Lantz said.
Speaking to reporters after question period, Lantz stressed that this is only a concept at this point.
“It’s an idea at this point, and simply that, but it’s something I’m very curious about and would like to pursue.”
Lantz said Holt’s reception to the idea was “very good.”
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