Despite taking strides to address surgical postponements which occured as a result of Covid-19, thousands and thousands still remain on waitlists across the province.

Officials provided a public updated on B.C.’s surgical plan showing that 99.8% of surgeries were delayed in the first wave have now been completed, as well as 96.2% of appointments delayed from second and third wave push backs.

Catch up is continuing for surgeries delayed in waves four and five, and from extreme weather events, with 78.9 per cent completed so far.

“Every surgery, every one, is life-changing for the patient who receives it,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said Wednesday.

“Through the dedicated efforts of everyone involved in delivering surgeries and the actions by British Columbians to slow the rapid spread COVID and ease pressure on our hospitals, over 337,000 surgeries were completed in the 12-month period ending March 31, 2022.”

While part of Dix’s comments highlighted that figure marked the most surgeries ever completed in a single year in B.C.

Still, there are 88,365 people on B.C.’s waitlist for surgeries, officials said. That figure is lower than 2019 to 2020, when 93,903 patients were waiting.