All Albertans to get H1N1 vaccine: minister
Opposition calls for Liepert's resignation
Last Updated: Sunday, November 1, 2009 | 2:07 PM MT
CBC News
Alberta's health minister is assuring Albertans that everyone who wants the H1N1 vaccine will get it — eventually.
On Saturday, officials with Alberta Health Services announced all H1N1 vaccination clinics would be closed until further notice in light of a national reduction in the number of doses.
Officials said the province plans to roll out a new immunization plan in the coming days, targeting only those at the greatest risk.
The announcement came after thousands of people lined up outside vaccination clinics throughout the province, causing many to close their lineups to new patients early.
Health Minister Ron Liepert told CBC News after the announcement Saturday that he's not blaming anyone.
But he admitted officials simply weren't prepared for the number of people who flocked to the vaccination clinics.
Alberta's health minister said Saturday all Albertans will have the opportunity to get the H1N1 vaccine. (CBC)
"All indications we had prior to commencing this program was that, at least initially, there'd be a very low uptake on it. Well, obviously we were wrong."
Liepert said he fully expects to get a rude reception in the legislature on Monday — and the first Opposition call for his resignation came from Liberal Leader Dr. David Swann on Sunday.
However, Liepert said he is choosing to focus on the positive.
"All I can point to is the fact we have 10 per cent of our population vaccinated, including all of those high risk categories, and we're not even into November yet."
He stressed that more vaccine will be arriving once it is approved by the federal government.
"We've always said that every Albertan will get vaccinated," he said.
"The program has always been a three-month plan and not a three-day or three-week plan and clearly, far too many of those who are not in the high risk category had chosen to get vaccinated. While that's not a bad thing, we simply couldn't accommodate everyone at this time."
Liepert said Alberta has the largest percentage of vaccinated people in the country to date.
Liberals slam 'incoherent response'
Alberta's official Opposition called for Liepert's resignation Sunday, a move the minister said he fully anticipated.
Swann, who is also a physician, stood outside a closed clinic in Calgary as he accused Liepert of mismanaging the province's pandemic response.
"This closure is evidence this government has no capacity to manage our pandemic. It's further evidence of negligence, political interference and mismanagement at a high level," he said.
Alberta's pandemic plan, which public health officials have had access to for years, made a commitment to vaccinate only high-risk individuals first, Swann said. But that plan was apparently tossed out the window, perhaps to make political points with the public, he said.
"For some reason this government chose to subvert that and open the gates to everyone. As a result we have the chaos we have today, with ambiguous messaging increasing anxiety. All of it [was] unnecessary," he said.
"The premier's incoherent response to a serious public health problem is putting our entire population at risk. Mr. Liepert has shown he's not up to the challenge and if he can't handle a province-wide flu clinic, how can he manage a complex province-wide health system?" Swann said.
With files from The Canadian Press
