In the wake of ongoing patient issues with the newly parked dialysis bus, Lac La Biche MLA Shayne Saskiw has come out in support of establishing a renal care centre now, instead of in the distant future.
In the wake of ongoing patient issues with the newly parked dialysis bus, Lac La Biche MLA Shayne Saskiw has come out in support of establishing a renal care centre now, instead of in the distant future.
"I will be starting a petition in the upcoming weeks, and, in addition, will be pushing both privately in meetings with important stakeholders and publicly in the media," Saskiw said. "We need this unit in the hospital now, not later."
The dialysis situation intensified recently when family and friends of Jerome Anderson - a local man in need of dialysis who was not included on a list of patients permitted to use the bus' services - held several peaceful protests. The protests took place on Monday August 13, and Wednesday August 15 with a march and rally from the hospital to the Lac La Biche County buildings on Friday August 17.
Currently, residents not given a seat on the five-passenger dialysis bus will be forced to drive to St. Paul three times a week for renal care.
Transportation issues may also face the bus patients in the winter months, as the service has been canceled in the past due to inclement weather, says the MLA
"This is another stark example of why the centralization of Alberta Health Services does not work - people in the cities do not understand that a mobile dialysis bus will not work in severe weather conditions," he said. "Lac La Biche residents should not have been forced to risk their lives daily hoping the bus will come through in -30 degree weather."
According to Saskiw, the solution is simple and is the same as it was 10 years ago.
"The dialysis units should be placed in the local hospital and administered by locally trained nurses and staff," he said.
The Post attempted to get a comment from Alberta Health Services regarding the possibility of having a full-time unit added to the hospital, but that statement was declined.
"We can not issue a statement regarding a full-time dialysis unit," said Cheryl Garrow, the unit manager for the Lac La Biche dialysis bus. "Right now we are focused on keeping the bus going three times a week for our dialysis patients."
For Saskiw the issue does not stop with the petition; he went on record to say the dialysis unit will be a top priority when the Legislature resumes on October 23.
"It is my job to step up for this community and let the voices be heard in the Legislature, I am asking anyone who would like to get involved to please call my office at 780-645-6999."
