(February 19, 2025)<\/p>\n
By: Lisa Rene-de-Cotret, SooToday.com<\/p>\n
Over 100 protesters braved -13 C weather to demonstrate their support for the hospital serving a community of 1,400 people who worked a decade to establish it<\/p>\n
THESSALON \u2013 Members of the community are engaged in a determined effort to preserve their hospital and reinstate its services.<\/p>\n
The community hospital in Thessalon is a critical lifeline for its residents. Regrettably, the local emergency department has experienced numerous closures.<\/p>\n
In temperatures that descended to -13 C, over 100 demonstrators gathered at 2 p.m.\u00a0today to express their dissent regarding the prevailing circumstances surrounding Thessalon Hospital.<\/p>\n
Undaunted by the inclement weather, they were dressed in warm clothing and displayed a variety of signs, articulating their concerns and advocating for their cause. The participants proceeded to the streets and the Trans-Canada Highway in a unified effort to draw the attention of Doug Ford’s government. Prior to their march toward the Trans-Canada Highway, community members convened at Thessalon Hospital.<\/p>\n
The principal cause of the closures is the difficulty in securing an adequate number of physicians to staff the emergency department, particularly during periods when regular medical personnel are unavailable. This challenge is a persistent issue faced by the North Shore Health Network (NSHN), which manages the Thessalon site.<\/p>\n
In 2020, the inpatient beds within the hospital were closed on a “temporary” basis, and they have not yet been reopened.<\/p>\n
This protest stands as a clear sign of the rising discontent among the 1,400 residents of this small town regarding the current governance in Ontario. Demonstrators voiced their frustrations over what they see as a significant gap between the community\u2019s needs and the actions taken by the provincial government.<\/p>\n
Michael Hurley, president of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, explained the reasons for the presence of those who gathered to protest.<\/p>\n
He posed a critical question: \u201cIs it a reasonable expectation for a community such as Thessalon, which has dedicated a decade to establishing a community hospital, to anticipate that it should be operational?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is imperative that the hospital has an open emergency department and that acute care beds are in operation. We are assembled here today to affirm that this is a legitimate expectation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Albert Dupuis, co-chair of the Algoma Health Coalition from Blind River expressed agreement with Hurley\u2019s sentiment, stating, \u201cIt is unjust that rural towns in Northern Ontario are overlooked by this government.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mary Jane Thompson, co-organizer of the protest and former teacher, informed\u00a0ElliotLakeToday<\/i>\u00a0that, \u201cIndividuals who have resided in this community for their entire lives and have contributed taxes to fund the construction of this hospital are unable to access its services.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt appears to be transforming into an emergency clinic and a transfer facility,\u201d said Thompson.<\/p>\n
\u201cPatients are no longer able to remain in the hospital for extended periods. In cases of emergencies, perhaps they may stay for 24 hours; however, even that is not guaranteed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Natalie Mehra, Executive Director of the Ontario Health Coalition (OHC), addressed the meeting.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my visit to Thessalon last week, my primary message was, and continues to be, that if each candidate in the upcoming election encounters a unified demand at every doorstep to restore hospital services and to halt the closures, they will be compelled to make definitive commitments regarding these issues,\u201d Mehra said.<\/p>\n
Tim Vine, the Chief Executive Officer of the North Shore Health Network (NSHN), was notably absent from the rally.<\/p>\n
Janice Cameron, 80, has resided in Thessalon for nine years and was among the participants in the protest.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a charming little town, and I wish to see this hospital remain open,\u201d stated the woman, who arrived with her walker, resolute in her commitment to see the protest to its conclusion.<\/p>\n
Sharon Ritchie a Sudbury resident said, \u201cIt shames me that Doug Ford is not helping keep this hospital open\u201d<\/p>\n
Ford made a commitment to eliminate hallway medicine, yet recent reports reveal that around 2,000 individuals are now waiting on stretchers in hallways each day\u2014more than double the figure when he first took office. In spite of this alarming trend, the government has not taken steps to reverse the closures of hospital beds or address the insufficient capacity in the current health-care system.<\/p>\n
While there has been an increase in funding for for-profit clinics, the special funding for locum doctors in northern regions was initially scrapped and has only been reinstated on a temporary basis. Wage caps imposed on hospital staff have resulted in actual cuts, and public hospital budgets continue to fall short of what is needed to meet the growing demand, leading to deficits and delays in hiring new staff.<\/p>\n
Emergency department closures, which were once uncommon prior to 2018, hit unprecedented levels in 2024. The Ontario Health Coalition is demanding accountability from Ford and is urging all political parties to pledge to implement essential reforms, cautioning that our public health system cannot withstand another four years of this situation.<\/p>\n
This united expression of concern emphasizes a strong demand for more responsiveness and accountability from elected officials, as residents strive to ensure their voices are heard and their issues are genuinely addressed.<\/p>\n