Surgery wait-lists at children’s hospitals continue to grow, despite lifting of pandemic restrictions

At Toronto’s SickKids Hospital, the scheduled surgery wait-list for children grew to 5,600 patients since 2020. Despite the fact that children’s hospitals are beginning to move back to full operation, as pandemic restrictions are lifted, these wait-lists continue to grow. Pediatric hospitals in other provinces are also seeing similar trends as hospitals across the country are grappling with backlogs from the pandemic. In Man., provincial data show wait-lists are increasing for MRIs and ultrasounds. In B.C., wait-lists are on the rise since 2020. Experts say these waits may lead to long-term challenges, especially for time-sensitive surgeries. Ontario's Children’s Health Coalition, which represents hospitals and children’s health organizations, is calling for increased funding and awareness regarding repercussions of wait-lists on children’s healthcare.