2024-11-01 13:40:00
The Minister of Health Christian Dubé and the Minister for Health and Seniors Sonia Bélanger are launching a broad consultation with the aim of establishing a national prevention strategy next spring. The explosion in health costs, linked to the increase and aging of the population, is forcing them to act, they say.
Updated yesterday at 11:36 a.m.
The ministers made the announcement on Friday during the conference A new vision of healthheld in the metropolis and organized by the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) and the Association for Public Health of Quebec.
During his speech, Christian Dubé recalled that the health budget had increased from 22 billion in 2004 to 40 billion in 2018. “This year, the budget will exceed 60 billion,” he said. In six years, that’s an increase of 50%. This is untenable. »
According to the minister, we must “work upstream” in order to curb this increase in demand for health care. “Smoking costs four billion annually […] ; obesity is almost three billion per year; alcohol consumption, three billion,” he lists.
Will Quebec invest in prevention? The public health budget amounts to one billion, or approximately 1.5% of the health budget.
In interview at The PressChristian Dubé specifies that prevention is not only the responsibility of public health, but also of “operations”, responsible, for example, for vaccination against shingles. It could therefore represent more than 1.5% of the budget.
But will new sums be injected? “I think there may be a movement of money,” says the minister. In prevention, I don’t think we communicate enough about the impact of not having healthy lifestyle habits. Communication is not expensive. »
According to Christian Dubé, young people must be “targeted” first. The Ministry of Education will be able to promote healthy lifestyle habits in schools. “That’s not what’s expensive,” said the Minister of Health.
Several other ministries will be involved, adds the minister responsible for Seniors, Sonia Bélanger: Municipal Affairs, Transport, Revenue, Finance (for tax credits), among others.
“They all have significant impacts on people’s health,” she said, in an interview alongside her minister colleague. We cannot approach the health system only through the Ministry of Health [et des Services sociaux]. »
According to Sonia Bélanger and Christian Dubé, the prevention strategy could be developed on the same model as Pride in Aging, a “costed interministerial and intersectoral plan” which extends over five years. “There are 102 measurements,” explains Sonia Bélanger. There are indicators for each of them. » The minister must report to the council of ministers every year.
For Christian Dubé, this strategy is an example of what the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) will do during the official creation of Santé Québec on December 1. Remember that the agency will be responsible for operations in the public network and the MSSS for orientations.
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**Interview with Minister of Health Christian Dubé on the Quebec Biosimilars Initiative and Upcoming Prevention Strategy**
**Interviewer:** Good afternoon, Minister Dubé. Thank you for joining us today to discuss the recent developments in the Quebec Drug Plan, specifically regarding biosimilars, as well as your plans for a national prevention strategy.
**Christian Dubé:** Thank you for having me. It’s important we discuss these crucial topics that impact the health of Quebecers.
**Interviewer:** Let’s start with the Quebec Biosimilars Initiative. Can you explain how the drug plan coverage for biologics has changed recently?
**Christian Dubé:** Certainly. On May 18, 2021, we initiated measures to encourage the use of biosimilars—these are biologic drugs that are highly similar to already approved reference biologics. This shift is intended to reduce health costs and improve patient access to necessary medications. Since then, we’ve seen a gradual increase in the number of patients using biosimilars, which is both cost-effective and ensures sustainability in our healthcare system.
**Interviewer:** That sounds promising for both patients and the healthcare system. Turning to the broader health strategy, you recently announced a national prevention strategy. What inspired this initiative?
**Christian Dubé:** The rising costs of healthcare services cannot be ignored; our budget has ballooned from $22 billion in 2004 to over $60 billion this year. We need to address the root causes of health issues, such as smoking, obesity, and alcohol consumption, which collectively cost the system billions annually. Thus, we must focus on prevention to alleviate the burden on our healthcare resources.
**Interviewer:** Prevention is key, but what does this mean for funding? Will new resources be allocated towards preventative measures?
**Christian Dubé:** While our public health budget is currently around $1 billion, we’re exploring reallocating funds rather than waiting for additional resources. The impact of investing in healthier lifestyle communication is significant, and it’s important we engage various sectors, including education, to promote these health messages to our youth.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned targeting young people specifically. How do you plan to implement this strategy?
**Christian Dubé:** Engaging young people early on is critical. We’ll be working closely with the Ministry of Education to integrate health and wellness programs into schools. This can foster healthier habits that last a lifetime, creating a strong foundation for future generations.
**Interviewer:** It certainly sounds like a comprehensive approach. As you move forward, what do you hope to achieve with the consultation process leading to the prevention strategy next spring?
**Christian Dubé:** Our goal is to gather input from various stakeholders, including health professionals, educators, and the public to create a tailored strategy that meets the specific needs of Quebecers. By collaborating, we hope to develop a robust plan that not only addresses current health challenges but also enhances the overall well-being of our population.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Minister Dubé, for sharing these insights with us today. We look forward to seeing the impact of these initiatives.
**Christian Dubé:** Thank you for having me. Together, we can make a difference in the health of our province.
