April

It is perhaps presumptuous to draw conclusions from short acquaintances, however as the late Dr Kenneth Evelyn observed, whilst one swallow does not make a summer, one swallow is one swallow.

The article “Diabetic blood sugar control: An urban/rural comparison” [BCMJ 2002;44(10):537] refers to the Bella Coola Medical Clinic having a nurse “who is actively involved in providing diabetic education to parents.”

On 28 January 2003 I underwent a bilateral hernia repair. Big deal, might well be your response!

However, the delay between my contact with the general surgeon and operation was less than a week. Only the surgeon and anesthetist were aware that I was a retired doctor and the staff of the hospital, Powell River General Hospital, were competent and friendly. The hospital’s phone number is (250) 485-3211.

—Michael Priest, MD
Coquitlam

Recent changes have come from the Ministry of Health to the existing Pharmacare plan. One of the significant drivers of escalating health care costs in the past decade has been the growth of the Pharmacare budget. While the reasons are many, the reality is that the Pharmacare budget has increased 147% in the last 10 years, an unsustainable expansion. Attempts to deal with the rising cost of pharmaceuticals have been the focus of many reforms over the last decade.

The article in this month’s issue by Drs Timothy Christie and Perry Kendall is an important one and should be required reading for every physician in BC. This is the first time that HIV has been designated a reportable disease through legislation. The decision to enshrine this requirement in law is commendable, but why did it take so long for HIV to join a list that includes things like measles, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and syphilis?

BC comprises 13% of the Canadian population, but accounts for approximately 20% of newly reported HIV infections. After a decade of decline, overall HIV incidence is now showing a small but significant (6.5%) increase. The past decade also saw the emergence of separate HIV epidemics with both injection drug users and heterosexuals. Women comprised 22% of newly reported cases between 1996 and 2001. Estimates vary, but as many as 13000 British Columbians could be living with HIV. According to Health Canada, up to one-third of infected persons may be unaware of their status.