The chief of staff at Sensenbrenner Hospital in Kapuskasing says urgent funding is needed from the province to help the obstetrics program.
Dr. Jessica Kwapis says the hospital will be down to just two doctors who can deliver babies to cover 800 kilometre between Thunder Bay to Timmins as of December 1st.
“Our two obstetrical physicians are providing coverage in the emergency department, in their own family practices, as hospitalists in the acute care ward and they can’t give their full attention and time to obstetrics so we need additional physicians to fill these gaps,” she said.
Dr. Kwapis says many expectant moms in the Hearst area have been forced to relocate after 37 weeks of pregnancy.
“To the community where they will deliver whether that’s Timmins, whether that’s Thunder Bay, whether that’s Sudbury or Ottawa where they have family—and that they stay there until they deliver,” she said. “Some women that’s doable if they have family in the area or if they don’t have other children at home or other work commitments.
She adds the hospital needs $400,000 a year for two years for locum coverage and has sent a funding proposal to help cover long term needs. She believes there are other facilities in similar trouble and Kapuskasing may be towards the back to get any help.
