The Alberta government says it will fund 25 per cent more cataract surgeries this year in privately-run surgical facilities in an effort to reduce surgery backlogs.
Health Minister Jason Copping said the province will fund 35,000 of the eye surgeries, an increase from 28,000.
He says the increase will free up operating room space in hospitals and drive down surgical wait times that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The funding comes from a $133-million surgical initiative program that the United Conservative government announced in its recent budget.
Copping also says Alberta Health has a new independent surgical recovery lead.
Ronan Segrave, who has previously worked with hospitals in Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia, is to advise on improvements to the health system.