Lachine Hospital: Borough mayor, residents call on Quebec to save services
Lachine Borough Mayor Maja Vodanovic was among a delegation in Quebec City Tuesday to gather support for the Lachine Hospital.
The emergency room has repeatedly been closed overnight -- and the intensive care unit has been closed for years -- because of problems retaining essential staff.
The hospital is in the middle of an expansion project. Residents worry that the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) management will permanently close the emergency department and intensive care unit at the Lachine Hospital. The emergency room is currently closed at night and only welcomes patients who come there by their own means between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m.
"We can't believe it – we thought we had it done. $220 million, beautiful plans for an emergency (room), ICUs, this is it! We're digging. We're building. And then all of a sudden – maybe not. Maybe no emergency, maybe no ICU," said Vodanovic.
She mentioned that on March 23, the 12 mayors from Montreal's West Island co-signed a letter to Health Minister Christian Dubé, asking him to continue the modernization work underway at the hospital.
"We know that this decision will be made shortly, by the end of the month. It was supposed to come. Either we continue with the plans as planned, or we change course. We're here to say we don't want to change course."
The Liberal MNA for Marquette, Enrico Ciccone, has asked for a meeting with the MUHC and Dubé, inviting them to listen to the local community.
During question period, Dubé maintained that "local management means letting our managers do the work they have to do" to find a solution and respect "the essential role of the Lachine Hospital as a community hospital."
He said he fully trusts the management staff in place. MUHC management blames a lack of health professionals on its inability to keep the emergency department open 24 hours a day.
A petition in support of safeguarding the hospital and its mission had collected more than 3,000 signatures by Tuesday.
Ciccone also filed a petition in the National Assembly with 4,570 signatures supporting the establishment.
- With files from The Canadian Press
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