Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. I want to ask the Minister how many NWT residents are currently waiting for an MRI scan and what is the average wait time from referral to imaging. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not have that level of detail at my desk. Thank you.
At a later time, I would like to get that information.
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister provide the total annual cost to GNWT of sending residents to Alberta for MRI scans, including both medical travel expenses and payments to Alberta health facilities for the use of their diagnostic equipment. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what I can do is I will bring that back to the department. I know that we are doing a feasibility study right now currently for MRI for Yellowknife, so I am sure we have some of that data. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Monfwi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what is the Minister doing to ensure that essential diagnostic imaging is more accessible to residents of the Northwest Territories, and will the Minister commit to developing a plan to establish MRI services at Stanton Territorial Hospital. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, yes, I have directed my department to do the feasibility study. That's the first part so that we -- you know, where we know what it's going to cost, what it's going to take. And they're currently in that process right now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
