Provinces ask Ottawa to help cover H1N1 costs

Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said Thursday the federal government is willing to consider helping theprovinces pay for swine-flu related expenses, but didn't commit to a specific figure.

"We don't know the magnitude of a pandemic until we hit it, so in order to come up with a dollar value, I don't think anyone can answer thatquestion until we've actually gone through it," she said Thursday.

Provincial and territorial health ministers meeting in Winnipeg spoke with Aglukkaq looking for assurances that, in the event of a severe outbreak, the federal government would be willing to help cover the costs.

Ottawa has already agreed to cover 60 per cent of the cost of the vaccine, about $8 a dose. But the provinces are concerned about additional costs such as transporting, refrigerating and administering the vaccine. And in the event of a worsening pandemic, there could be additional costs from added intensive care units, such as staff overtime, new ventilators and other associated costs.

Manitoba Health Minister Theresa Oswald suggested Ottawa fund up to 90 per cent of extraordinary costs, similar to the funding provinces receive in disaster relief after floods or fires.

Oswald, who chaired the meeting, was confident a deal would be done.

"We've heard an openness from the federal government to work with the provinces in cases of extreme circumstances should the direst predictions ... come to fruition," Oswald said.

The provincial and territorial leaders also approved Health Canada's priority list of people who would have first access to the swine flu vaccine that may be available by early November. The list includes pregnant women, infants, people with chronic problems such as diabetes, and those living in remote areas.

The provinces also agreed the vaccine would be free, even for those not on the priority list.

"I'm confident, and I'm sure all ministers are, that we will be ready should there be a resurgence this fall," said Ida Chong, British Columbia's healthy living minister.

The federal Liberalshave accused the government of not starting work on the vaccine early enough, and pointed to a group of cases on Vancouver Island that includes one recent death.

Aglukkaq said the cases on Vancouver were not a new outbreak, however, and that some of the cases were reportedearlier inthe summer.