Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to speak today about the status of the sterilization equipment located at Stanton Territorial Hospital.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to get an understanding from the Minister today as to what is happening with surgeries at Stanton Hospital. I’ve heard that over the past three weeks, with the exception of emergency surgeries, all surgeries have been cancelled. Mr. Speaker, there is also the issue of infection rates in post-operative patients at Stanton. Has there been an increase in infection rates at that hospital? Why have surgeries been cancelled the last three weeks?
The equipment used to sterilize surgical instruments is located in the CSR, or reprocessing unit at that hospital. I understand that currently there are technicians working on the equipment. I’d like to know when the hospital became aware of the problems with the equipment and why have they shut them down. Is it a coincidence that post-operative infections are increasing just when it seems the equipment requires servicing? Has public health been put at risk, Mr. Speaker?
It would appear that patients who get a post-operative infection are being told it’s their fault, when just down the hall the same surgery, the same day, has the same infection. Again, is this all one big coincidence or do we have some serious issues with our sterilization equipment at that hospital?
If our operating rooms have been cancelling surgeries over the past three weeks, is it not going to have a negative impact on patients awaiting necessary surgery? What about the staff and the operational costs, all of which will increase due to the cancellations? Mr. Speaker, these have got to be piling up. I’d like to ask the Minister a number of questions today during question period regarding this issue. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
