On Monday, the province announced it will be paying for the cystic fibrosis drug Trikafta for children aged six to 11.

On July 6, the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health recommended provinces provide coverage for the drug for children in this age group. Antigonish MLA and Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson is responsible for the office of healthcare professional recruitment with the Province of Nova Scotia. Thompson has been a registered nurse for 30 years and has worked in acute and long-term care and other areas of healthcare.

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disorder that causes severe damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs in the body. The disorder affects the cells that produce mucus, sweat and digestive juices.

"Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder that people are born with, usually mom and dad carry the gene. Mucus builds up in the lungs, digestive tract and other organs. Over time, the mucus will affect the tissue."

Although there are a variety of treatments available, Thompson said Tikafta has been described as the single greatest innovation in cystic fibrosis history for people living with that illness.

Trikafta is a drug that has the potential to treat up to 90 per cent of Canadians with cystic fibrosis.

"We know that there are 190 Nova Scotians across all ages who are affected by cystic fibrosis. And this current announcement includes 15 children in our province, who are now old eligible."

The estimated cost for Trikafta is $300,000 annually per patient, which will be covered by the province. There are no requirements for eligibility or exclusions.

Thompson added that there are a variety of ways people can contribute to the healthcare system.

"We just recently announced that we will be increasing the seats for the undergraduate nursing program at Dalhousie, and also the nurse practitioner program."

This decision came a year after health organizations in the provinces of Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan announced that they were covering Trikafta for patients with Cystic Fibrosis.

"It's an exciting time to be in healthcare. This is the emerging and growing field for people to work in and have really great careers."

Patients can register for the provincial Cystic Fibrosis Program through their cystic fibrosis clinic at the IWK.

Listen to the full interview below: