Calgary — The Canadian Press Published on Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009 2:59PM EST Last updated on Sunday, Nov. 01, 2009 4:25PM EST
Alberta's Opposition Liberals are calling on the province's health minister to resign after a decision to temporarily suspend all swine flu vaccination clinics.
A national shortage of vaccine has left Alberta and other provinces scrambling to rejig their vaccination programs amid an outpouring of public anger at long lineups, possible queue-jumping by healthy people, and confusion over what happens next.
David Swann, the leader of Alberta's Liberals, is accusing Health Minister Ron Liepert of mismanaging the province's pandemic response.
He says Alberta's pandemic plan made a commitment to vaccinate high-risk individuals first, but that was tossed out the window when provincial health officials said they wouldn't turn anyone away who was seeking a swine flu shot.
Swann says that smacks of political interference and goes against the principles of public health, adding it has also created chaos at many clinics.
A spokesman for the health minister said Mr. Liepert wasn't immediately available for comment.
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