Delta Community Demands Action as Emergency Room Closures Continue
For the fourth time this year, Delta’s emergency room (ER) faced an unfortunate closure, lasting over 12 hours this past weekend. City councillor Dylan Kruger has taken a stand, urging his council colleagues to declare a public health emergency in response to these repeated closures.
Expressing his frustration, Kruger labeled the recent ER shutdown as unacceptable, emphasizing the dire situation faced by the community. “We lack an urgent care center, walk-in clinics are scarce, and family doctors are in short supply. This is nothing short of a public health crisis,” he voiced on 1130 NewsRadio.
Kruger stressed that the ongoing closures pose a significant risk to the community’s health, citing the already limited access to family physicians and the absence of urgent care facilities in Delta as exacerbating factors.
Insisting that immediate action is imperative, Kruger called upon Delta’s council to take a bold stand to capture the attention of the provincial government. “We need more than just rhetoric. We need a concrete plan to ensure the ER never faces closure again,” he emphasized.
The community echoes Kruger’s sentiments, demanding tangible solutions over empty promises. Kruger seeks commitments from the provincial government and Fraser Health to allocate resources promptly, aiming to prevent further disruptions at the local ER.
Highlighting the community’s expectation for accessible emergency healthcare, Kruger emphasized the need to uphold a basic standard of care. He urged for improvements, stating, “We must strive for better standards in emergency healthcare services, especially in a country as developed as ours.”
Kruger is set to present a motion to the Delta council during the upcoming session on Monday evening, pushing for decisive action to address the ongoing challenges faced by the local healthcare system.