Residents in two different communities in B.C.’s interior are facing the closure of their local emergency departments this weekend due to limited availability of doctors.
In a pair of announcements issued Saturday evening, Interior Health announced that the Lillooet ER will be closed for the third consecutive night and the Merritt ER will be closed for 25 hours starting Sunday.
Lillooet Hospital and Health Center closing times are as follows:
Saturday, October 12, 2024, 7:00 PM to Sunday, October 13, 8:00 AM Sunday, October 13, 7:00 PM to Monday, October 14, 2024, 8:00 AM Monday, October 14, 7:00 PM to AM Until 8pm Tuesday, October 15, 2024
The closure of Nicola Valley Hospital and Health Center (Merritt) began at 7 a.m. this morning and will continue until 8 a.m. Monday.
Residents of both sites are being asked to seek treatment at the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops during the closure.
“Any member of the community who requires life-threatening emergency treatment (such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, or severe bleeding) should always call 9-1-1 to be transported to the nearest available appropriate facility.” writes Interior Health.
“If you are unsure whether a visit to the emergency room is warranted, call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca to receive assistance from a nurse, dietitian or pharmacist. Get non-emergency health information 24/7.”
This is the first closure the Merritt Emergency Department faced in October.
The emergency department was closed three times in the last month. In August, it faced four closures.
Prior to that, emergency departments were closed eight times between January 1 and July 31.
