On election day, make your voice count. #Vote4Arthritis
The general election in Nova Scotia is scheduled for November 26, 2024. ACE is asking Nova Scotia parties and candidates for their positions on arthritis prevention, treatment and care.
The arthritis community is a significant constituency in Nova Scotia.
Arthritis affects approximately 200,000 Nova Scotia voters and affects more people than heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and dementia – combined. There are more than 100 types of arthritis, and despite the misconception that it is only a disease of older adults, two-thirds of Nova Scotians with arthritis are younger than 65. It is the leading cause of disability in Nova Scotia. and a significant economic burden related to direct health care costs and indirect costs to the economy related to lost employment, sick leave, and absenteeism.
Health care delivery is one of the most important issues for Nova Scotia voters. The way people living with arthritis access and receive health care varies significantly across the province. Where you live can be more important in determining arthritis treatment than how sick or disabled you are. This particularly affects people living with inflammatory arthritis – like rheumatoid arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis or lupus – who depend on getting a timely and accurate diagnosis, fast access to rheumatologists, and appropriate public reimbursement for needed disease-modifying medications.
The time to address arthritis prevention, treatment, and care is now after years of being at the back of the line of health care planning and delivery. Without intervention, a serious issue like arthritis can escalate into a far bigger crisis.
That’s why it is important for you as a Nova Scotia voter to make your voice heard. To help you with your decision, Arthritis Consumer Experts is asking political parties and the candidates running for office to share their perspectives on how to meet the needs of the one in five Nova Scotia residents living with arthritis.
ACE’s questionnaire asks the following questions:
- What will your government do to provide high quality, evidence-based models of care to ensure more timely access to arthritis care and enable Nova Scotians to get the right treatment at the right time?
- Will your government introduce culturally appropriate, patient-centered policies to help Indigenous Peoples navigate the healthcare system and receive coordinated care within their community to manage their arthritis?
- Will your government commit to reinvesting biosimilars savings to increase accessibility to new medicines and expand coverage for existing medicines for people living with inflammatory arthritis?
- Will your government take steps to ensure timely, specialized care for Nova Scotia residents struggling with osteoarthritis, including joint replacement surgery wait times that are within medically recommended guidelines?
- What will your government do to ensure the continuation, improvement, and expansion of virtual care for all Nova Scotia residents – both patients and health care professionals – and ensure access is equitable to all?
ACE will be collecting political party and candidate responses and posting them on ACE’s Nova Scotia Election 2024 homepage as we receive them. Please note the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party only provides a centralized response to questionnaires and does not provide individual candidate responses.
If you have comments, questions, or concerns about any of the answers provided, please plan to attend a public forum or debate to hear from the candidates.
On November 26, 2024, make your voice count: #Vote4Arthritis. For more information on how to vote, please visit Elections Nova Scotia to find out your options, including voting on election day, early voting options, or voting at a returning office, a community or by advanced poll or by a write-in ballot.