Nanaimo Regional General Hospital is already over capacity and can鈥檛 handle the anticipated population growth in the coming decades, warns a new advocacy group.

Donna Hais, community liaison for NRGH鈥檚 medical staff, presented to Nanaimo city council on Monday, April 8, speaking about the new Fair Care Alliance group.

鈥淲hen you watch the news and you see photos of patients in beds in hallways, in storage closets 鈥� that鈥檚 us. Go to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital any day of the week and that鈥檚 what鈥檚 happening,鈥� Hais told councillors.

鈥淚f we鈥檙e the fifth-fastest growing centre in Canada, can you imagine what that means for our population? That鈥檚 not a 40-per cent increase here, that鈥檚 more like a 50- to 55-per cent increase in population to central and north Vancouver Island. We are in no way prepared for that.鈥�

The Fair Care Alliance is a new community advocacy group for health care, advocating on issues for residents north of the Malahat.

Hais鈥檚 presentation served as the introduction to a recently developed campaign, which involves to the province, demanding a new patient tower and a commitment for a cardiac catheterization lab.

鈥淭he conversation on getting a tower starting today is still 10 years before we鈥檇 see it,鈥� Hais told council. 鈥淏ut a cath lab, we know, and we know this very specifically by [an] announcement we鈥檝e seen in Surrey 鈥� we can have this in 18 to 24 months.鈥�

In question period at the B.C. legislature on Thursday, April 11, Health Minister Adrian Dix wouldn鈥檛 give a commitment to funding either a catheterization lab or patient tower for Nanaimo, following a question from independent Parksville-Qualicum MLA Adam Walker.

鈥淲hy does the minister of health continue to refuse to listen to Island Health, and when will the NDP commit to funding the desperately needed patient tower at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital?鈥� Walker asked.

鈥淲e are engaging, and the member knows this, in unprecedented investments in Nanaimo,鈥� Dix responded, adding that the province has delivered 鈥渉undreds of new long-term care beds鈥� and are in the process of funding a cancer centre. 鈥淲e are going to continue to invest in Nanaimo and support Nanaimo patients.鈥�

Walker then asked about a catheterization lab, but didn鈥檛 get a commitment from Dix on when, or if, the province will fund it.

While the news of a cancer centre, first announced in 2023, was applauded by Hais in her presentation to council, she said it鈥檚 not enough to solve the dire cancer care situation for northern and central Island residents.

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She drew attention to the fact that there are no oncologists at the Nanaimo hospital compared to 40 oncologists in Victoria. For comparison, in 2023 there were 3,360 new cancer diagnoses in the central and north compared to 3,215 in the south. Fifty-three per cent of the Island鈥檚 cancer cases occur north of Malahat. Nanaimo currently has four general practitioners in oncology.

鈥淲e have the largest population 鈥� I told you we鈥檙e 460,000 people 鈥� in Canada without access to a cath lab,鈥� Hais said. 鈥淲e live in this area, this beautiful part of the world, in Canada, but we live below the standard of care when it comes to cardiac care.鈥�

Coun. Ian Thorpe, who is chairperson of the Nanaimo Regional Hospital District, thanked Hais and reiterated the hospital district鈥檚 commitment to funding their 40 per cent portion of the build.

鈥淲e need public advocacy on this. We need the community to have its voice heard so the government, whichever party is in power, hears Nanaimo needs and deserves better health care in our region north of the Malahat,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is absolutely scary, and unfortunately most people don鈥檛 have that realization until an incident happens.鈥�

Coun. Janice Perrino added that 鈥渘o-one needs it more than Nanaimo does right now鈥� and encouraged every doctor to advocate 鈥渂ecause they really, really listen to the nurses, the medical staff and the doctors.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 Nanaimo鈥檚 turn and there is an election coming and I鈥檒l be voting for the particular government that wishes to give us a new hospital expansion,鈥� she said.

In a statement from Island Health to the News Bulletin on how it鈥檚 navigating the capacity issue, the health authority said it is important to note that it has well-established processes in place to support transfers in a timely manner when patients need out-of-community specialized care.

鈥淚sland Health understands the pressures all hospitals, including NRGH, are facing. We know it is important that we continue to invest in NRGH, and in community-based supports that take pressure off our acute care system.鈥�