Close X
Monday, November 11, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C.'s Interior Health to restart surgeries

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 18 Feb, 2022 05:11 PM
  • B.C.'s Interior Health to restart surgeries

KELOWNA, B.C. - British Columbia's Interior Health authority says it's taking a phased approach to resuming services that were paused last month, including rescheduling postponed surgeries and reopening in-patient services in several communities.

A statement from president Susan Brown says the impacts of the Omicron wave of COVID-19 on staffing in the region's health-care system are beginning to subside.

Brown says staffing isn't stable enough to safely restore all services next week, but it will reschedule procedures starting Wednesday and aims to clear the backlog as quickly as possible.

The announcement from Interior Health comes as the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in B.C. continues to decline, at 733 on Friday from 744 the previous day.

Five more people have died, for a total of 2,786 COVID-19 related fatalities.

A statement from the Health Ministry says the province is also preparing to distribute COVID-19 rapid tests to the public, starting with seniors, and officials are expected to outline details of the plan during a news conference next week.

Interior Health says in-patient services will reopen Feb. 23 in Clearwater, where one new registered nurse has been recruited, while nurse-provided primary care services will return to normal that day at the Barriere and District Health Centre.

In-patient services are also set to reopen March 14 in Lillooet with two new nurses.

The health authority says overnight services at the Ashcroft Community Health Centre and the Slocan Community Health Centre in New Denver remain temporarily reduced to stabilize daytime services in those communities.

Health Minister Adrian Dix told a news conference this week that the proportion of health-care workers calling in sick was higher in the Interior Health region, which accounted for about two-thirds of all the non-urgent cancelled surgeries in B.C.

"But most everywhere else, we're going to be aggressively moving to rebook surgeries in the coming weeks because people need their surgeries," Dix said.

"And even if we describe these as non-urgent scheduled surgeries, they're all important, they're all necessary."

 

MORE National ARTICLES

1,236 COVID19 cases for Tuesday

1,236 COVID19 cases for Tuesday
There are 28,302 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 293,488 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 1,035 COVID-positive individuals are in hospital and 139 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.

1,236 COVID19 cases for Tuesday

COVID-19 hospitalizations highest ever in B.C.

COVID-19 hospitalizations highest ever in B.C.
Dr. Bonnie Henry says 706 people have been hospitalized in the last week, but the numbers appear to be peaking. She says patients who contracted the dominant Omicron variant are going home in about half the time compared with those who are sickened with the Delta variant.

COVID-19 hospitalizations highest ever in B.C.

Wilson-Raybould outlines 'true reconciliation'

Wilson-Raybould outlines 'true reconciliation'
Jody Wilson-Raybould says allowing Indigenous self-determination would support the cultural, social and economic well-being of Indigenous Peoples, while giving nations, governments and industry the certainty needed during a transitional time.    

Wilson-Raybould outlines 'true reconciliation'

NDP introduce bill to decriminalize drug use

NDP introduce bill to decriminalize drug use
Leader Jagmeet Singh is putting his weight behind the bill, tabled by his NDP colleague Gord Johns, decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of drugs including cocaine and heroin.

NDP introduce bill to decriminalize drug use

Erin O'Toole to face leadership review by caucus

Erin O'Toole to face leadership review by caucus
He wrote that MPs who want him out are confused about what direction to take the Conservative party--which has been a source of concern under O'Toole's tenure.

Erin O'Toole to face leadership review by caucus

StatCan: Economy grew 0.6% in November

StatCan: Economy grew 0.6% in November
The growth in November pushed the GDP above pre-pandemic levels by 0.2 per cent, the agency says. The agency also says its initial estimate for December suggests real GDP was essentially unchanged for the final month of 2021 to bring growth to 4.9 per cent for the full year.

StatCan: Economy grew 0.6% in November