Tackling the challenges of COVID-19 and looking ahead

Arthritis Society education resources are helping thousands of Canadians stay on top of their arthritis as they cope, including our COVID-19 and arthritis information page, our Arthritis Talks webinars and our regular flourish newsletters.

At the same time, we have been working with stakeholders in the arthritis community to ensure the needs of people with arthritis are not forgotten during this difficult time.

These efforts are bearing fruit, from the resolution of the hydroxychloroquine shortage, to the designation of medical cannabis as an essential service, to the inclusion of hospital-based researchers in the federal government’s wage subsidy program.

The work doesn’t stop there, however, as serious issues remain. More than 3,000 people have already joined us in asking their elected representatives to find collaborative solutions to:

• Drug access: Many Canadians have lost their jobs and drug benefit plans. It is critical we ensure adequate supply and continued access to necessary medications and also advance discussions on a plan for national pharmacare.
• Surgery backlog: Prior to COVID-19, there were already challenges meeting the benchmark for joint replacement surgeries across the country. We need to develop and implement a coordinated plan to reduce wait times for joint replacement surgery when elective surgeries are restarted.
• Research funding: Researcher wages may be protected, but research funding itself is shrinking. While COVID-related research is a current focus, we cannot forget the importance of sustained investments in research that will improve the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of arthritis and other chronic health conditions.

Find out more about this collaborative initiative at www.arthritis.ca/takeaction.

Arthritis Awareness Month:  Look for information in the coming months about our efforts to shine a national spotlight on arthritis during September. Six million people live with arthritis in Canada. Join us to raise awareness and funds to enable us to live in a world where people are free from the devastating effects that arthritis has on lives.  www.arthritis.ca