Northern B.C. was included in a recent study that focused on the uneven distribution of physicians between the northern and southern regions of Canada despite a Citizen news story to the contrary.
Brent Dowdall, manager of communications with the Conference Board of Canada, said although the synopsis report, called the Somebody Call A Doctor, did not mention B.C., the indepth study shows that Northern B.C. has 420 physicians compared to 9,625 in southern B.C.
Southern Ontario has the most doctors of any region with 27,560 compared to Northern Ontario with 1,275.
Northern B.C. ranks about sixth on the scale of 13 when it comes to the ratio of northern doctors per 10,000 population. The Yukon's ratio sits at 38, Northern Newfoundland- Labrador at 20, Northern Quebec at 18, Northern Ontario and North West Territories both at 16, followed by B.C at 13.
Northern areas with ratios less than Northern B.C. include Manitoba at 11, Alberta at 10, Nunavut, and Saskatchewan with the most dire physician numbers at three doctors per 10,000 people.
The full report online is at www.canadanewswire.com/en/releases/archive/January2011/20/c3975.html.
