PCs Call for Public Inquiry Following Three Deaths, Two Grey-Listed Hospitals

WINNIPEG — Today, Manitoba PCs urged NDP Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara to call a public inquiry into the unmitigated failure unfolding in Manitoba’s healthcare system. The call for an inquiry comes after the deaths of three patients awaiting medical care, and the historic “grey-listing” of two Manitoba hospitals at the same time.

“This level of failure from the health minister is unprecedented,” said Roblin MLA Kathleen Cook, PC Critic for Health. “Debbie Fewster died waiting for cardiac surgery last fall. Earlier this year, Chad Giffin died in the ER waiting for care at HSC, and now, Genevieve Price died waiting for care at the Grace Hospital. This NDP premier and his health minister campaigned on fixing healthcare. They said they had a plan. Not only did they not have a plan, they’re making healthcare worse.”

As of 1:10 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority reported ER wait times of 12 hours at Grace Hospital, 11.25 hours at St. Boniface Hospital, and 7.75 hours at the Health Sciences Centre.

Three months ago, nurses at HSC voted 94% in favour of “grey listing” the hospital in an effort to discourage front-line workers from taking jobs there amid safety concerns.  The Manitoba Nurses Union says it is a reflection of their “collective frustration” over unsafe working conditions. Most recently, nurses voted to “grey list” Thompson Hospital due to the NDP’s continued failure to address the safety of staff and patients. This is the first time in Manitoba history that two hospitals have been “grey listed” at the same time. The last time a hospital was “grey listed” was in 2007, under the previous NDP.

“I’m calling on the premier today to replace his health minister. Not only has Asagwara lost control of their department, they’ve also lost the confidence of Manitobans,” said Cook. “The only way to get to the bottom of what’s happening to Manitoba’s healthcare system is to hit the brakes so that it doesn’t keep getting worse, launch an urgent public inquiry to find out what’s going on, and hold the health minister accountable.”

“The NDP’s Throne Speech did nothing to address the healthcare crisis. Their newly-announced laws designed to guarantee better patient care are meaningless and hold no one accountable. The so-called ‘patient safety charter’ has no meaning. Instead of solutions, Manitobans are getting slogans.”

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For media inquiries, please contact PCCaucus_Media@leg.gov.mb.ca

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