The Manitoba government has released a series of financial audits of health authorities from the years 2019-20 to 2023-24 that reveal governance failures, a breakdown of communications and worsened patient care, this from Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara in a media release today.
“From the beginning, our government has been focused on shifting the culture in health care,” said Asagwara. “We’ve tasked all levels of health-care leadership to redirect funding from the bloated bureaucracy to the front lines, address culture and prioritize patient care above all else. However, the audits reveal systemic government failures that have undermined morale for front-line workers while worsening the culture in our health-care system. We audited the service delivery organizations (SDOs) to establish an accountability structure that ensures resources are directed to the front lines of health care and the bedside of Manitobans. Revealing these results is another step we are taking to ensure we continue the process of fixing health care.”
In March 2024, the Manitoba government commissioned independent auditors to undertake a comprehensive review of all regional health authorities, except Southern Health-Santé Sud. Taken as a whole, the audits found a disconnect between the government’s direction to improve the culture in health care and the decisions made by health system leadership, noted the minister. Southern Health was excluded from the audits because it has a record of balanced budgets.
Asagwara also announced today that Chris Christadoulou has been named interim CEO of Shared Health to replace Lanette Siragusa, who served as head of the health authority since April 2023. She had become a familiar face in Manitoba during the COVID-19 pandemic.
And Jane Curtis, who has agreed to leave as head of Southern Health, has been named interim CEO of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. Curtis replaces Mike Nader, who had been in the role since April 2021.
There’s more information about the audits at Province of Manitoba | Info MB
