A new study by the C.D. Howe Institute shows Newfoundland and Labrador’s health care system is last among the provinces and territories in terms of access to care and second to last in preventative care.

The study also found that a high proportion of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians didn’t have access to dental care, home care, and prescription drugs because of the cost.

Eighty-two- percent of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians claimed regular access to a family doctor, below the Canadian average of 86 per cent and well below the International average.  Junior Policy Analyst with CD Howe, Tingting Zhang says access to care drags Newfoundland and Labrador’s overall health care performance down.

“Newfoundland and Labrador and Nunavut are showing the weakest outcomes. So my conclusion in this report shows that access to care is a national priority to improve our healthcare performance,” she told VOCM News.

Newfoundland and Labrador scored below the international average for all the categories, but it scores significantly below the international average for access to care, equity, and healthcare outcomes.”