Kamloops advocates continue to rally for maternity care

Advocates are heading out again to demand improvements amid a maternity care crisis in Kamloops.

Recently-formed organization Maternity Matters Kamloops will host its third rally in front of Royal Inland Hospital on Saturday, Jan. 3.

“A new year does not erase the risks families are facing,” a Maternity Matters news release said.

The rally is part of the group’s continued efforts to draw attention to the women’s health care crisis in Kamloops, following the resignation of seven obstetrician/gynecologists earlier this year and the impending closure of a local maternity clinic.

Interior Health has since ramped up its hiring efforts, with several doctors at various stages in the hiring process, including two committed to starting later this year. The resigning doctors cited unsafe and unmanageable workloads, and Interior Health has since committed to a goal of signing on nine specialists.

According to Maternity Matters, the crisis in Kamloops highlights a “systemic failure” to prioritize women’s health, and Kamloops is just one of communities across BC facing similar pressure in the specialized field.

Group organizer Alix Dolson told iNFOnews.ca last month that despite signals of improvements, like recent hiring announcements, advocacy will continue until care is “stabilized” in Kamloops.

The rally at Royal Inland Hospital will take place at 1 p.m., Jan. 3.

Go to the Interior Health website here for more information on maternity care in the Kamloops area.