VICTORIA, B.C.: The alarm bell couldn’t be louder after 130 obstetrician-gynecologists from across British Columbia signed a letter to the Health Minister and Interior Health CEO warning of “untenable and unsafe” conditions driving the collapse of maternity, gynecology, and women’s health services across the Interior.
“Women deserve better. The NDP’s disregard for Kamloops’ OB-GYNs reflects a disregard for women who rely on them for safe, compassionate care — and who will now have to pay the price for this government’s failure to act. Women should never have to question whether help will be there when they need it most,” said Peter Milobar, MLA for Kamloops Centre. “The Minister didn’t listen to the seven OB-GYNs in Kamloops — maybe she’ll finally listen to the 130 OB-GYNs and the hundreds of residents who rallied this weekend demanding action.”
The OB-GYNs also stated that they will not participate in temporary coverage plans or supervise new hires under these conditions. “The Minister must respond quickly with a real, sustainable plan, not another round of empty promises,” added Milobar. “Women across B.C. are watching, and they deserve to know their health and safety come first.”
“This isn’t just about Kamloops, it’s about every woman in B.C. who deserves safe, local, reliable care,” said MLA Dr. Anna Kindy, Health Critic. “We’re seeing a domino effect of healthcare services collapsing, and a government pretending it’s fine. It’s not fine. Burnout, staff shortages, unsustainable workloads, and bureaucratic mismanagement are pushing OB-GYNs to the brink.”
“Every day this government delays, another specialist walks away and another family loses access to care,” said Milobar. “The Minister can keep making excuses — or she can finally do her job and fix it.”
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CLICK HERE to read the letter from 130 OB-GYN’s to Interior Health CEO Sylvia Weir.
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Francesca Guetchev, Communications Officer
Francesca.Guetchev@leg.bc.ca
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