A Tribute to Dr. Henrique Rigatto 1937-2019

Sunday September 15, I attended a celebration of the life of Dr. Henrique Rigatto. Dr. Rigatto was a colleague who worked at the Children's Hospital in Winnipeg for many years. He came to Winnipeg from Brazil in the early 1970s, established the neonatal intensive care unit, and did extensive clinical and basic research which looked at the mechanism by which the brain controls breathing and how such control develops in utero and after birth. His research was world leading and helped greatly in the understanding of how breathing is controlled very early in life. As part of his work in the neonatal intensive care unit with newborn babies he helped develop the newborn transport team which was able to bring many sick infants from all over Manitoba to Winnipeg to get help. In 1986, recognizing that the time for transport of an infant is critical he was successful in urging the province to get a jet airplane which could land on the small northern runways to reduce the time it took to get the infant to Winnipeg and to help ensure the best care possible for these infants. The jet plane made a dramatic difference and was instrumental in helping improve the chances of many children doing well.

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Dougald Lamont speaks at Meth Forum last night to present positive ideas to address the epidemic, while exposing the lack of action by the Pallister Conservatives

Last night at the Notre Dame Recreation Centre in St. Boniface, at an Election Forum on the Meth Crisis in Manitoba, Dougald Lamont spoke eloquently about the severity of the meth epidemic and described the Liberal plan to address it. The Liberal Plan will make sure that there is a single province-wide phone number for people, or friends of people, who need help dealing with meth to call (as there is in Alberta) and that there will be rapid access to a seamless series of steps - stabilization, detoxification, treatment, extended supportive housing etc so that people with meth addiction can be helped well and effectively and so that they can rebuild their lives. The Liberal meth plan will be helped by our approach to mental health (putting psychological therapies under medicare), and to poverty (providing better support). It will also be helped by our vigorous efforts to help young people understand the problems with meth in our education system and to provide alternative positive

Comparison between Manitoba and South Dakota shows dramatic impact of Physical Distancing

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Pushing for safe consumption sites and safe supply to reduce overdose deaths

On Monday June 20th, Thomas Linner of the Manitoba Health Coalition, Arlene Last-Kolb Regional Director of Moms Stop the Harm and Winnipeg City Councillor Sherri Rollins were at the Manitoba Legislature to advocate for better measures to reduce deaths from drug overdoses, most particularly for safe consumption sites and for a safe supply, measures which can reduce overdose deaths.

The Gerrard Report

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