Increased Pressure to Re-open Emergency Services in Plaster Rock, NB

As Plaster Rock, NB residents enter a second month of no local emergency services, the residents have decided to voice their frustrations in a very public manner. Pressure mounts for the provincial health authorities to take decisive action.

It's a rare event to see a significant portion of any community band together in order to force action from politicians or administrators. Plaster Rock, New Brunswick managed to do just that when 300 residents – 25% of the population – attended a protest rally on Wednesday evening (July 16). Their local emergency facility, at the Tobique Valley Hospital, was closed in June by the River Valley Health Corp. as a result of insufficient staffing. Last week, Dr. Barry Wecker, the only remaining physician, expressed grave concerns about these actions, which he felt contributed to the death of an elderly resident, Mrs. Ginger DeWitt. Ann Drost, the daughter of Mrs. DeWitt, was in attendance. The immediacy of this issue could not have been clearer as she sat holding an urn with the remains of her deceased mother. Other residents that attending the rally were also vocal in their frustration, concern and confusion about the emergency closure. Said one resident:

"I have a son who's allergic to bees — highly allergic to bees. He has 15 minutes and he dies. We have no hospital — 40 minutes to Grand Falls, 40 minutes to Perth. What happens to my son?"

Some recent articles here at DigitalJournal have emphasized the need for immediate response when one is suffering an anaphylactic reaction to allergies. Officials seem to have forgotten that emergency rooms handle a variety of serious health issues that are time sensitive. Citizens of Plaster Rock are understandably incensed at the unilateral decision made by the RVHC and Health Minister Mike Murphy. Although Murphy did eventually address the gathering of 300, it was only after he had spent two hours behind closed doors with local planning officials. He did assure residents that their concerns would be discussed with "government officials", but maintained his stance that there are still no plans to re-open emergency services in Plaster Rock. One question remains. As Murphy is the Health Minister, exactly which "government officials" must he discuss this serious matter with?