Maybe we're missing something.

The case for expanding haemodialysis services in Hay River seems like an obvious slam dunk.

By our admittedly amateur reckoning, it would provide better service in the South Slave, properly utilize equipment and space in the health centre's dialysis unit, most likely bring home three Hay River residents forced to travel to Yellowknife for dialysis and save the GNWT money.

Yet, Health and Social Services Minister Glen Abernethy says the government is looking at the business case for increasing staff at the dialysis unit in Hay River.

On the surface, it seems boosting staff numbers is the rational thing to do.

Try as we might, we can't think of a reason for it not to happen.

As for the GNWT's efforts to build a business case, we guess that simply means comparing the cost of expanding current services or maintaining the status quo.

We will give Abernethy the benefit of the doubt and say he didn't mean to sound cold-hearted in stating a "business case" will determine whether the services should be expanded in Hay River.

Building a business case is reserved for looking at the profitability of, say, opening a diner.

Government providing dialysis services is not the same as opening a diner and serving burgers and fries. (And we have to admit that is a sentence we can't really believe we just wrote.)

Dialysis is quite literally a life-or-death service that many people require.

As the percentage of older people increases in the general population, along with the prevalence of diseases such as diabetes, more are expected to need dialysis in the future.

Haemodialysis uses a machine to eliminate fluid and waste from the body in cases of failing kidneys.

It is only provided in the NWT at health facilities in Hay River and Yellowknife. In Hay River, the regional health centre's dialysis unit is full based on current staffing levels.

The unit has four chairs and eight clients.
It already has the equipment and space to serve more people, but needs additional money to hire more nurses to deliver the service.

In the legislative assembly in late May, Hay River North MLA R.J. Simpson questioned Abernethy about the situation.

Simpson estimated that based on the use of dialysis equipment in Yellowknife, the number of dialysis patients in Hay River could be tripled.

Abernethy is saying the right things about the need to offer dialysis service closer to home for Hay River residents and other people in the South Slave.

But any decision to improve service will be based on the aforementioned business planning.

"When we find a solution, we will make the investment where appropriate," Abernethy told Simpson in the legislative assembly.

Mr. Abernethy, we can offer you a solution right now. Hire the extra staff and offer expanded dialysis services in Hay River. It's an obvious solution to an immediate problem, verging on crisis.

Suggesting that the problem is being studied and an investment will be made where appropriate is not good enough.