Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to respond on behalf of the Minister of Health to the member for Halifax West.
I wish to address the concerns which have been raised in the House over the findings of the auditor general's report concerning the delivery of health care services for first nations.
The auditor general says that some first nations people are concerned that Health Canada is taking a dump and run attitude in the transfer of health care programs to first nations.
I assure the House that the transfer initiatives are launched as a response to communities that are ready to assume greater responsibility for health care resources.
It is a process that responds to first nations and will occur at a time and pace of their choosing. There is no pressure on communities to take up the transfer.
Concerns have also been raised in the House over the auditor general's findings with regard to prescription drug misuse among Canadian first nations and the slowness of Health Canada to respond to this problem, which the auditor general says the department has known about for 10 years.
Let me assure the hon. member that for the past 10 years Health Canada has been working to address the problem. The department has installed a comprehensive claim processing system across the country which deals with six million drug claims per year. It ensures that eligible clients receive drug benefits. By the end of the year the department will have installed a point of sale system in all pharmacies that will alert pharmacists to real problems such as harmful drug interaction and patterns that suggests misuse before the client has been given the drug.
In his report the auditor general agrees that this will address many of the problems of prescription drug misuse. In addition, a drug utilization review report has been developed which allows Health Canada to identify potential abuse situations for physicians, pharmacists and clients.
This system ensures that those involved can be alerted and appropriate follow-up action initiated to address situations where abuse is identified. I assure the member—