New Denver responds rapidly to locum intrigue
By Claire Paradis
It appears the new sitting government is not much better than the previous decision-makers after hundreds of people gathered at the Slocan Community Health Centre in New Denver at Friday (May 25) in response to a post on the community Facebook page the day before.
Posts from Slocan Lake Chamber of Commerce Health Committee members on Thursday, May 24, said that locum Dr. Munro had received a phone call from Dr. Curtis Bell from Interior Health (IHA) strongly discouraging her from continuing to work at the health centre or stay in the community.
The online campaign had also urged people to contact Health Minister Adrian Dix and local MLA Katrine Conroy. In her speech to the crowd, New Denver mayor Ann Bunka said both the ministry and the MLA’s office had been busy handling the number of emails and phone calls they had received in response to the situation.
“Health and education brings us all out, doesn’t it? We know how to fight for what we want,” said Mayor Bunka to the assembled crowd.
Bunka told the demonstrators that she received confirmation directly from IHA Executive Director Karen Bloemink and Dr. Bell’s superior, Dr. Ertel, VP Medicine and Quality, that there has been no change in the plan to keep the centre open.
IHA’s Dr. Ertel has said he will be coming to the Village to meet with Dr. Munro and Dr. Chuck Burkholder to “straighten this out,” according to a Facebook post by Dr. Burkholder.
Residents are encouraged to write letters to Health Minister Adrian Dix at HLTH.health@gov.bc.ca and the local MLA Katrine Conroy at katrine.conroy.MLA@leg.bc.