Some residents of La Loche and Ile-a-la-Crosse are petitioning the government to provide funding for a satellite office in northwestern Saskatchewan to provide hemodialysis treatment.

This is the second petition presented by the NDP as the first in December called for a dialysis center in the north.

“This would greatly lessen the burden of out-of-pocket costs for the people from this area who are undergoing kidney dialysis. This will allow northwestern people with kidney failure to live where they want to live and to not have to be forced to move away in order to stay alive,” said Athabasca MLA Buckley Belanger in presenting the petition Monday.

In December Cumberland MLA Doyle Vermette, who tabled a similar petition said dialysis patients in the North face real hardship in travel to access care, suggesting some spend 35-40 hours a week to get their care.

He says the long distances are impacting elders, who may be too weak to travel. The provincial government will reveal its spending priorities in its budget tomorrow.

(Photo: Buckley Belanger. MBC file.)