Ontario Liberals Will Create Diabetes Centre of Excellence

Liberals only party with credible plan to address growing health care concern

BRAMPTON — Today in Brampton, Ontario Liberals announced that a re-elected Liberal government will help more people to live longer, healthier lives by creating a Diabetes Centre of Excellence.

Diabetes is a growing health care challenge that demands a serious, targeted response. More than four million people in Ontario are living with diabetes or prediabetes, and a new person is diagnosed every six minutes, according to Diabetes Canada.

A Diabetes Centre of Excellence will bring leading health care experts together and build on cutting-edge research to better understand this chronic disease and determine the best ways to prevent, manage and treat it.

The Centre of Excellence will lead to better health care outcomes across Ontario and support people in Brampton — recognizing that Ontario’s South Asian community, in particular, is predisposed to developing diabetes. With community input, we can make sure to address this health care challenge in a way that is effective and culturally appropriate.

Today’s announcement represents a renewed commitment to the Ontario Diabetes strategy, and an important next step in reducing diabetes rates across our province.

The Ontario Liberals are the only party with a serious, credible plan to address diabetes and make sure people have the supports they need to manage chronic disease.

QUOTES

“Almost everyone in Brampton knows someone living with diabetes. Ontario Liberals are determined to advance our understanding of this chronic disease, and help find solutions, through a new Centre of Excellence. This is going to help people across our province to live longer, healthier lives.”

—Harinder Mahli, Ontario Liberal candidate, Brampton North

QUICK FACTS

• Ontario Liberals have made prescription medications free for children and youth, and will expand the program for seniors 65 and over beginning in 2019. This means pharmacare for one in two people in Ontario.
• Ontario Liberals have created a Drug and Dental program for people who aren’t covered by a workplace benefits program. For a family of four, this means $700 in extended health care coverage every year.
• Ontario Liberals have invested in wound care and provided relief to thousands of people through an $8 million investment in offloading devices, saving people living with diabetes from preventable amputations.