Group making push for walk-in clinic

OSOYOOS — A small group of advocates is proposing a not-forprofit walk-in clinic for the Main Street building now occupied by Destination Osoyoos.

Residents for Health Care made that pitch as part of a presentation to Osoyoos council on Tuesday to make finding a solution to a shortage of doctors in the community a priority — even to the point of putting negotiating a contract with RCMP on a back burner.

The advocates also pushed council to hire a recruiter to find additional doctors to serve the Osoyoos community.

“The health of the community is more important than dealing with, or putting it off to the side, while we deal with the RCMP matter,” said Marilyn Muldoon, a spokesperson for the advocacy group. “We are in a panic situation here.”

The presentation to council included the delivery of a petition signed by almost 1,200 Osoyoos residents concerned about a shortage of doctors in the community.

Coun. Mike Campol also wondered what the impact of an Osoyoos-based clinic would have on the South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver.

“A big part of what supports that emergency room is the type of care you get in a walk-in clinic,” he said, adding there was an expressed concern Interior Health was looking for a reason to close the Oliver-based hospital.

“None of us wish to see South Okanagan General Hospital close down — none of us wishes that,” replied Muldoon, adding SOGH would still be required for emergency care.

Coun. C.J. Rhodes also suggested council had not “chosen” negotiating a new contract with RCMP over dealing with health care. It had chosen council.

Nevertheless, he added, “(healthcare) is a big priority and we do understand the impact of a lack of medical care in our community.”

The advocates’ request comes amid a spate of walk-in clinics closing across the province.

Mike McLoughlin, founding director of the Walk-In Clinics of BC Association, told CBC News earlier this month that 45 walk-in clinics across the province have shut down over the last five years.

That comes despite a record number of physicians serving British Columbia.

Locally, the SOGH struggles to find Oliver and Osoyoos-based physicians prepared to serve afterhours in its emergency room following long days in their clinics.