Emergency rooms are stretched beyond capacity, with some forced to close, as a result of problems that include a major shortage of health care staff, a resurgence of viruses and a lack of available beds in hospitals and long-term care.

Global’s Eilish Bonang sits down with general practitioner, Dr. Yinka Akin-Deko, to talk about the high rates of Melanoma diagnosis in the Maritimes and her focus on educating and supporting those in the Black community about the risks associated with the skin cancer.

After seeing the success of one physician’s initiative to mentor international doctors who come to Nova Scotia, Doctors Nova Scotia is working to develop its own initiative. Dr. Emmanuel Ajuwon has taken the lead to help recruits get settled in because he knows there can be many adjustments, both personally and professionally, when relocating to another continent.

Nova Scotia is in a battle to recruit and retain health-care workers needed to sustain a system that has been under immense pressure over the past two years due to COVID-19.

Dr. Leisha Hawker, President Doctors Nova Scotia speaks about the doctor shortage.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston conceded Thursday things are likely to get worse for the health-care system before they improve. This comes days after Halifax's IWK Health Centre revealed its emergency department has been operating at overcapacity for the past six weeks, as it's seeing more patients than ever and it's anticipating it will get worse.

Nova Scotia needs to hire 100 doctors a year over the next 10 years, according to the province’s healthcare recruitment office. Community needs are evolving and doctors are retiring. Doctors Nova Scotia says its members have been under immense pressure for the past two years – constantly working and understaffed.

Nova Scotia’s health minister said Thursday a new pilot project that will permit some family doctors to be paid for the number of patients on their roster, not just for services provided, will help reduce the province’s nearly 95,000-person primary care wait list. 

We speak with Dr. Leisha Hawker is the President of Doctors Nova Scotia, to discuss the new payment model that family doctors are taking for a test drive, including at one family practice in Cheticamp.