Carrying signs reading “Leave the Lions Vision Centre Alone,” dozens of people rallied outside an Armstrong vision center Monday afternoon.
The crowd was hoping to send a clear message to Interior Health (IH) that they won’t stand for the facility being moved.
The health authority said it also wants to see the centre stay put, but a lack of specialists may force its hand.
Rally participants, many representing local Lions Clubs, worry the service could be moved to Vernon Jubilee Hospital — a possibility they strongly oppose.
“There is no reason whatsoever to move it. Hopefully, with the support of the community, we are going to be able to keep it here,” said Dennis Morgan, president of the Enderby Lions Club.
“The clinic was set up for a purpose; it is a small town. It’s accessible, parking is easy [and] there are none of the issues that you would normally get in a hospital.”
Lions Club members at the rally estimate the groups have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the vision centre over the years.
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Among those who attended the rally was the mayor of Enderby, who is clear he would like to see the facility stay.
“The message today is to let Interior Health know that this is an important part of this community of Armstrong,” said Enderby Mayor Greg McCune.
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“It does a wonderful service for our region and it needs to stay here. They need to figure out a way and use their brain trust and figure out how to keep this exactly where it is.”
Interior Health says it would also like to see the clinic stay put, but the vision centre is experiencing a shortage of anesthesiologists that could force a move to Vernon.
The health authority says there is a shortage of anesthesiologists nationally and IH is currently looking to hire anesthesiologists to serve in five major centres in the region.
“We are currently working with our physicians to reduce the impact to patients and to develop the best possible solution to continue to provide sustainable safe patient care,” Richard Harding, the health authority’s North Okanagan acute health services administrator, said in a statement.
“We are asking all our partners to give us the necessary time to work with our physicians to resolve the issue.”
The health authority said no decision has yet been made to move the vision centre.
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