Residents of Stewart are facing the possibility of going without basic medical services if the Campbell Liberal government doesn’t step in and reverse a decision to cut services at the community’s hospital, says North Coast MLA Gary Coons.
The decision to eliminate emergency services in the facility led to Stewart’s only two doctors tendering their resignations because they did not feel they had the resources to provide proper rural healthcare to the residents of the region.
“All British Columbians have the right to adequate access to emergency care,” said Coons. “It’s almost a four hour drive from Stewart to the next nearest facility.”
“The Health Minister, George Abbott, needs to wake up and realize that his policies are destroying communities and putting lives at risk,” said Coons. “The Campbell government is out of touch with rural British Columbia. They need to meet their own Provincial Standards of Accessibility”
During the debate on Bill 45 Coons mentioned the crisis in Stewart and encouraged the government to act and alleviate the situation. According to the New Democrat MLA, the economic problems in rural British Columbia cannot be solved without addressing the health care needs of communities.
“The Campbell government is abandoning communities in rural British Columbia,” said Coons. “Healthcare is a prerequisite to economic development.”
Coons presented a petition in the Legislature today, with almost 300 signatures from residents of Stewart who are asking the Campbell government to take action to end the healthcare crisis in their community.
“The District of Stewart has written to the minister, I’ve written to the minister, and every person who signed the petition has effectively written the minister,” said Coons. “I wonder when he will get the message that rural British Columbians have the same healthcare needs as people living in bigger centers.”