N.S. swine flu program will cost $20M

Nova Scotia's health minister says the overall projected cost of fighting the swine fluis $20 million.

Maureen MacDonald said more than $10 million of that has already been spent, about half of it on ventilators for flu patients.

"Until you know the vaccines are into people's arms we really don't know what the final figure will be, but we do have an estimate," she said.

MacDonald said the province has set aside $57 million in a multi-purpose fund, but it's unclear how much it will spend on the immunization program.

Under the current agreement, Ottawa ispaying 60 per cent of the cost of the vaccine and the province is handling the rest, which amounts to nearly $3 million so far. Thefederal and provincial supportdoesn't include costs of delivering the vaccine to Nova Scotians.

Chris Power, the president and CEO of the Capital District Health Authority, said Wednesday that without the province's help running the vaccination program, the authority is facinga$2.5-million deficit.

Premier Darrell Dexter said he would be looking to the federal government to help cover the cost of delivering the swine flu vaccine.