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2mo ago

Kelowna Pediatric Ward Closure Enters Fifth Week as Health Minister Plans Visit

Local MLAs warn that staffing gaps mean there is no reopening date, forcing families to seek pediatric care elsewhere.

Three Conservative MLAs from the Central Okanagan speak to media out of KGH Monday and renew calls for health minister to visit the hospital amid the current pediatric crisis.

Overview

  • Kelowna General Hospital closed its 10-bed pediatric unit on May 26 without providing a timeline for reopening.
  • Interior Health reports that 20 local pediatricians have declined hospital positions, worsening staffing shortages.
  • Health Minister Josie Osborne has agreed to visit Kelowna General Hospital after pressure from Central Okanagan MLAs.
  • Since the closure, 14 children have been transferred from KGH’s emergency department to other hospitals, and one three-year-old waited almost 40 hours for surgery.
  • Central Okanagan MLAs will host a Kelowna Health Care Crisis town hall on July 2 to gather community input on resolving the crisis.