A contingent from Wallaceburg is heading to Queen’s Park today (April 18) in order to lobby for and bring provincial attention to Wallaceburg’s hospital.
Shirley Roebuck, chair of the Wallaceburg Walpole Island First Nation Health Coalition, said a group of six volunteers are heading to Toronto to explain the situation about the Sydenham Campus of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance.
“We hope to gain some provincial publicity, we’re holding a press conference at Noon at the Queen’s Park studio,” Roebuck told the Sydenham Current.
“We also will be meeting with our MPP Monte McNaughton, as well as the Conservative health critic, and France Gélinas the NDP health critic. The more that we publicize the need for a strong and vibrant community hospital, the more our chances of having the hospital that we have remain and actually grow.”
Roebuck said they are hoping to educate the MPPs regarding “the plight of small hospitals in this province” and specifically in Wallaceburg.
“Small hospitals really are such a necessary part of the public healthcare system,” Roebuck said.
“We need emergency services as well as in-patient services to serve our communities and not just a walk-in clinic. That will not serve the needs of all of the people in the town of Wallaceburg, the Wallaceburg catchment area, the farming communities as well as Walpole Island First Nation.”
The Sydenham District Hospital board is holding a members meeting on Tuesday evening (April 19) at the UAW Hall in Wallaceburg.
The meeting begins at 5 p.m. and is open to the public.
Watch for more on this story.
Here is some more background information:
Call for unity: Councillor calls for unity following social media suggestion
Wallaceburg councillor not happy: Wesley not happy with Chatham hospital boards
Kirenko presents about Nova Scotia model: VP presents ‘Collaborative Emergency Centre’ model
Recap of SDH board meeting on April 11: Wallaceburg hospital board ‘disappointed’ with latest developments
LIVE tweets from April 11 SDH meeting: Board meeting at Sydenham Campus in Wallaceburg, LIVE coverage
SDH Chair doesn’t agree with CKHA report: Proposed hospital changes does ‘not meet our expectations’
Health coalition meeting recap, April 7: New health Coalition fighting for Wallaceburg’s hospital
Advocacy group formed: New hospital advocacy group holding town-hall meeting
Full interview with CKHA CEO: CKHA president discusses Wallaceburg hospital situation
March 23 meeting recap: ‘Everything has to be on the table’
LIVE coverage of March 23 meeting: Wallaceburg hospital meeting at the UAW Hall
MPP bringing concerns to Queen’s Park: MPP: ‘The community spoke loud’
March 23 meeting preview: Doubts arising about Wallaceburg’s ER future
CKHA facing deficit: CKHA board meeting highlights
Imagine project background: New direction for a brand new Wallaceburg hospital
– File photo
