Frustration Mounts Among Saskatchewan Healthcare Workers As Transfers To ICU Continue | The Canadian News

As the province of Saskatchewan announced that more ICU patients will be transferred to Ontario, several organizations representing healthcare workers expressed disapproval of the way the surge in hospitalizations is being handled.

With six ICU patients already transferred to Ontario hospitals, the Saskatchewan government announced three more transfers Thursday. One is scheduled to transfer on Friday, a Saturday, and a third on Sunday.

With 76 positive COVID-19 ICU patients here in Saskatchewan, in addition to 32 non-COVD-19 patients, several calls have emerged for more government action to protect the capacity of a healthcare system that currently houses a total of 136 beds of ICU. .

The province said Wednesday that it had identified 116 as a threshold number of patients at which transfers would begin.

In a published statement On Thursday morning, the president of the Canadian Medical Association, Katharine Smart, said that “it is time to stop politely asking” for more restrictions.

“The pattern revealed by Saskatchewan’s director of medical health, Dr. Saqib Shahab, was alarming and heartbreaking,” Smart said, referring to information released Wednesday that predicted that current trends could cause ICU numbers to exceed the 200 if no further restrictions are introduced.

“We urge the provincial government to increase vaccination rates through mandatory vaccination in healthcare settings; immediately institute circuit breakers; and seek help in other jurisdictions to provide additional support to workers and patients in need. Any other delay is simply not acceptable.

SEIU-West, a union whose members include licensed practical nurses, also held a press conference demanding action Thursday.

President Barbara Cape said its members “are in the middle of a collapsing healthcare system.”

“The staff is working flat out to provide care because we have so few hands,” Cape said. “That affects all aspects of the health care system.”

He called on government policy makers to “provide clear and transparent plans for the way forward out of this pandemic.”

“I urge everyone to call, write, visit your MLA, demand that they do better, demand that they protect all citizens and demand that they take responsibility,” added Vice President Neil Colmin.

The Saskatchewan Opposition also called for additional measures on Thursday.

Speaking in Saskatoon, NDP leader Ryan Meili called for a public health order limiting the size of meetings and called on the government to “publish all the recommendations of the Saskatchewan Director of Medical Health and grant greater independence to the role of CMHO “.

“The Prime Minister and his Minister of Health are not experts in public health. They have made the deliberate decision to repeatedly ignore their clear recommendation for public health measures such as setting limits, ”Meili added in a prepared statement.

“This election is yet another example of a prime minister who constantly puts politics before people’s lives.”

In an emotional plea Wednesday, Dr. Shahab called on all Saskatchewan residents to remain vigilant for the virus for the next several months.

However, when asked by Global News on Thursday, the Saskatchewan government did not provide new comment on additional restrictions.