“Crisis point”: NDP, PC parties criticize government over Victoria General

HALIFAX – Both the NDP and PC governments are questioning why the Liberal government hasn’t done more done to replace the Victoria General site of the QEII Health Sciences Centre.

A pipe burst on the hospital’s fifth floor on Thursday night, causing flooding, and the evacuation of three lower floors, including many ICU patients.

In two separate releases sent out on Friday, both parties referenced the many problems that the “crumbling” hospital has faced in the past years.

“In the past two years we’ve seen bedbugs, a mice infestation, contaminated sterilization equipment, and burst pipes at the VG,” PC health critic Chris d’Entremont said in a press release.

“The liberal government has known for years that this structure needs to be replaces. It’s reached a crisis point and patients and staff want to know what the government is doing about it.”

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READ MORE: “Why is it raining in the elevator?” Flood at QEII VG site causes major problems

Echoing the PC party, a release sent by NDP health critic Dave Wilson expressed concern about the fact that plans to demolish the building, made in 2011 and updated in 2012, have yet to move forward.

“At this point the current Liberal government has been in charge of that plan longer than anyone else,” said Wilson. “Why has this been delayed? Given what happened last night it’s time for the Health Minister to follow through and replace the Centennial Building.”

Friday is the second time surgeries were cancelled at Victoria General this year. Hundreds were cancelled after black specks were turning up on sterilized equipment back in April.

Janet Knox with the Nova Scotia Health Authority told reporters on Friday that all patients were safely relocated to other areas of the hospital, and patients that could go home were sent home.

READ MORE: Flood causes relocation of 50 patients, cancels 106 surgeries at QEII VG site

50 patients were moved and 106 surgeries have been cancelled, with no estimate of how many more could be cancelled in the coming days and weeks.

“We’re assessing the rest of the impact,” said Knox, adding that teams will be meeting all day, into the weekend and well into the foreseeable future to try to come up with a plan to manage the situation.