Over 100 OB/GYNs in British Columbia have joined forces in a strong display of solidarity with their peers who recently resigned from Interior Health, citing frustrations with the provincial government.
In a letter signed by 128 OB/GYNs, concerns were raised about the looming crisis in maternity health care within the province. The recent resignation of the entire OB/GYN department at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops earlier this month has brought these issues to the forefront.
While Interior Health stated the resignations were due to personal reasons, the letter published by the OB/GYNs highlights that the decision to quit stemmed from the lack of response to their ongoing concerns regarding maternity care and gynecology services.
The doctors expressed their dismay at the dismissal of their warnings about the crisis, citing “untenable and unsafe working conditions” and a lack of meaningful response from both the health authority and the government.
Dr. Chelsea Elwood, Vice President of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists BC and author of the letter, emphasized that the ongoing problems have been neglected for years, leading to unsustainable and unsafe practices within the healthcare system.
Elwood criticized the reliance on temporary locum physicians to fill scheduling gaps and called for more sustainable solutions to address the shortages in OB/GYN services. Despite Interior Health’s plans to hire 12 new OB/GYNs, concerns remain about the transparency of the onboarding process and support for these new recruits.
The letter also highlighted the broader impact of the crisis, noting significant backlogs in gynecological procedures, including cancer surgeries, with wait times exceeding 12 to 18 months in many facilities.
The situation has left many pregnant women in the Kamloops area facing uncertainty and challenges in accessing essential healthcare services. The letter underscored the undervaluation of OB/GYNs and women’s health across the province, calling for urgent action to address the systemic issues in maternity and gynecological care.