Dear editor,

Heathcare in the southwest is almost non-existent. When I came here in 1969 there was a doctor in every small community and small hospitals. They did small operations in Eastend and Frontier – yes there was a hospital and a doctor there as well. In places like Shaunavon and Maple Creek, bigger surgeries were done like appendix and gall bladder and in all cases babies were delivered.
This region because of the geography is isolated. Folks can’t get to Swift Current in bad weather, roads are impassable – just take this past weekends storm for instance. Getting to see what doctors there are is a wait of several weeks by which time you are recovered on your own or are DEAD! Going to Swift Current is either impossible for road and weather conditions or folks do not drive or they are too old to manage the trip.
Some doctors appreciate this. I am not complaining about them, far from it, but get rid of the CEO and board and put an all-elected one in. They work for us, the people, as you all do, so lets see some action and no more talk the time for talk is past.
It seems to me that they want to centralize everything in swift current and to heck with folk in rural Saskatchewan The area covered is far too big as well. Plus half the stuff you need is not in Swift Current any way so then you have to travel even further afield. Saskatchewan as a whole is doing a pretty poor job of health care. If you trained more doctors, nurses, pharmacists etc. it would be a start.
I know what I am talking about – I was a nurse, but I also have MS, and don’t drive.

Yours sincerely,
Gail Koenig