by Glenn Taylor
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Oct 06/97) - Inuvik MLA Floyd Roland said he's pleased proposed changes to health care board funding have apparently been dropped by the Department of Health and Social Services.

Inuvik Regional Health Board chair Nellie Cournoyea met other health board leaders in Rankin Inlet last week to review the proposed funding formula and other issues.

According to Roland, the delegates agreed to drop the plan, and "residents can rest assured that their health services won't be affected." Department officials were not available at press time to confirm Roland's assertions.

The department undertook a formula funding study last November, to more equitably distribute health spending across the North. Using population-based mathematical equations, the results suggested the Inuvik Regional Hospital should take a $6.6 million hit to its budget. It also revealed that $13 million now spent in the Western Arctic should be moved to the East, where per-capita funding is much lower. "That would of course destroy this board," said Inuvik board CEO Frank Russell.

"There was a lot of concern in Inuvik that our health board might lose more than $6 million," said Roland. "That would have had a devastating effect on the services the board provides."

Roland said Ng announced at the meeting last week that the current funding formula would remain in place. Furthermore, Roland said Ng announced a further additional $4 million would be poured into health care coffers. Ng was not available for comment.