Premier Moe:
Barrier Free Saskatchewan is concerned with the province’s medical protocol. We believe that a critical care triage must occur when beds and/or treatments are at a critical point. However, our concerns lie with the rationing or triage of life-saving critical medical care where the possibility of discrimination based on disability will occur.
We believe any critical medical protocol must not include whether one has a disability or whether there is a life expectancy or even a life’s “worth” attached to the decision is made before care is given.
We do not believe that any committee has the right to make these decisions based on a category like “disability”.
As this province starts to build an Accessibility Act, we want to remind the government of Saskatchewan that we, persons with disabilities, have the same rights as all other citizens in this province.
A medical protocol that may have parameters like life expectancy, type of disability, or, in general, consideration of life worth would be discriminatory.
Barrier Free Saskatchewan expects our Health Minister to ensure that our Government prevents disability discrimination if the Critical Medical Triage comes into play during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We ask that the Triage be reviewed to remove any myths or judgements of people based on disability.
We ask that the reviewed Critical Medical Triage be made public so it is open and transparent to all citizens of Saskatchewan.
Please send to us the current Critical Medical Triage process so we can determine if it affect affects us. Nothing about us without us!
Barrier Free Saskatchewan is prepared to discuss this matter further to ensure a Critical Medical Triage ensures care on a first come first serve basis without putting persons with disabilities lower on the list due to their age or disability.
Robin East
President
Barrier Free Saskatchewan