Hundreds of people stood just outside of the Concordia Hospital Wednesday afternoon, protesting against the closure of its Emergency Room.
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority announced it would be shutting down the ER back in June.
Residents in the area say the closure could cost someone their life since St. Boniface Hospital is too far away.
“I had a massive heart attack at home, I live close by so my son did CPR until the ambulance got me,” protester Lynne Williams said.
“They brought me here and two doctors worked on me in emergency to stabilize me to get me to St. Boniface, but I would not have made it to St. Boniface if they hadn’t stabilized me here.”
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During the rally, protesters refused the proposed walk-in clinic, saying it wouldn’t be able to help people in critical condition.
The group is calling on the provincial government to reconsider its decision.
Health Minister Cameron Friesen says they’re reviewing their decision.
“I would want the people in the North East quadrant of Winnipeg to know their government is working hard every single day to make sure that these outcomes, patient experience and wait times will be not just acceptable but better and better,” Friesen said.
“Better health care sooner is the pledge we’ve made to all Manitoba, we take that very seriously.”
The emergency room is scheduled to close in June.
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