There was more frustration for Prince Rupert residents as the city’s hospital had to once again close the doors of its emergency department overnight.
The latest closure followed a 17-hour closure the previous day, from late Sunday night to Monday afternoon.
The closure is due to staffing challenges.
In total, it is the eighth overnight closure so far this month. The next nearest hospital is in Terrace, which is about an hour-and-a-half drive away.
B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix is in Prince Rupert meeting with Northern Health officials.
“Health Minister Adrian Dix engaged staff, physicians, paramedics, and members of the community in Prince Rupert over the past two days,” Northern Health said on social media.
“He has been listening to concerns and working on solutions to stabilize staffing at that Prince Rupert emergency department to help ensure sustainable and high quality healthcare in the community.”
The city said it is meeting with “local stakeholders” in April to explore solutions.
Global News has reached out to the Ministry of Health for comment.
Just last week, Global News spoke with a family in Prince Rupert who shared their horror story dealing with family health issues while the emergency room was closed.
Tish Losier said her husband Joe Budnisky began having epileptic seizures while the Prince Rupert ER was closed due to staffing shortages.
They got an ambulance for Budnisky. Ambulance drivers at first said they should head to Terrace but then the paramedics said they should wait for the ER to open in Prince Rupert, which took about 90 minutes.
They waited it out with the paramedics but Losier said when they went to the ER once it opened, the situation got even worse.
“Well, to be honest, they didn’t give him any of the medicine that they usually give him,” she said.
“It was really, really hectic in there. They opened the doors, there was people immediately waiting for services as well as our ambulance waiting outside.”
Losier said Budnisky was given some pain medication and had X-rays taken due to the pain in his ribs.
They were then released. Losier said she asked a nurse why they were being discharged so quickly and was told the hospital didn’t have the beds and didn’t have the staff.
However, her husband had a second seizure just hours later.
“That was the really terrifying part,” Losier said.
“We were walking from the car to my home. He had another seizure in the driveway while he was standing and walking. He fell down and smacked his head.”
The mayor of Prince Rupert, Herb Pond, previously said he is extremely concerned about what is happening in the community and that the health-care system is failing many British Columbians.
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