Date
March
14
2007
Members Present
ITEM 1: PRAYER
Assembly Members
Debates of March 14, 2007 (day 2)
Topics
Statements
Member’s Statement On Patient Services At Stanton Territorial Hospital
Calvin Pokiak
Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The sudden death of Mrs. Voudrach of Tuktoyaktuk shocked husband, Paul, his family and residents of Tuktoyaktuk. Mrs. Voudrach broke her wrist by slipping outside the Rosie Ovayuak Centre on February 2, 2007, in Tuktoyaktuk. After complications in her wrist, the local head nurse decided to send her out to the Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife on Monday, February 19, 2007, for a wrist operation. My understanding of the situation, she was to have the surgery the following day, on Tuesday, February 20, 2007. Mr. Speaker, for some reason, the surgery was performed on the same evening she arrived at the hospital. Is this a normal practice for people that require surgery on the same day? Complications arose during the operation and eventually Mrs. Voudrach became asphyxiated during the operation and suffered a cardiac arrest. The doctors and staff tried to revive Mrs. Voudrach, but she died on the operating table.
Mr. Speaker, many residents rely on doctors and nurses during minor and major operations. They are specialized in the profession they take and we respect that. However, the question that remains: Did the doctors and staff make the appropriate decision to operate on Mrs. Voudrach that evening? I understand an autopsy was conducted on Mrs. Voudrach and the report won’t be available for eight to 10 weeks. Is this a normal time to release information on cause of death?
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Voudrach has publicly announced in the newspaper by asking questions why the operation was conducted on his wife, Norma Voudrach, that evening; why the report of the autopsy will take eight to 10 weeks to become public; and why the Department of Health and Social Services cannot provide him with information on the cause of death. I understand that Mr. Voudrach may be seeking a legal opinion on his wife, Norma Voudrach’s death with the Department of Health and Social Services.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, these questions raised by Mr. Voudrach and his family need to be addressed by the Department of Health and Social Services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause