Demonstration by Lachine Hospital employees

Graham Hughes archives The Canadian Press The MUHC is currently studying, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, two scenarios: that of maintaining the community mission of the Lachine Hospital and that of changing one's vocation.

The Lachine hospital saga continued on Saturday afternoon, when several employees gathered to demonstrate against a possible cut in the services offered by the hospital.

The fate of this community hospital is uncertain. The McGill University Health Center (MUHC), to which it is affiliated, is currently considering two scenarios: keeping the hospital's community mission or changing its vocation altogether.

“Today's demonstration is to support not only the community, but especially our members,” explained in an interview the president of the union of MUHC employees, Shiaman Diawara. “We have no information, nothing is clear, it sends uncertainty to the employees, he worries. Conditions are already not good in the healthcare system, and imagine what this situation sends as anxiety among employees. »

According to the organization, around 1,000 people gathered on Saturday afternoon, in particular to demand that the emergency room remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Since February 14, they have only been accessible between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. for patients able to get there by their own means.

“It is inconceivable to close services when we know that the network is overloaded everywhere”, proclaimed the vice-president of the Fédération de la Santé et des Services sociaux — CSN for the greater Montreal region, Sébastien Gagné, in a press release. “The Legault government wants to build new private hospitals on the pretext of wanting to unclog the network, but on the side it is closing public services and underutilizing existing facilities. »

In an interview with Le Devoir on Friday, the CEO. of the MUHC, Lucie Opatrny that a “final report” on the scenarios envisaged for the future of the hospital would be submitted to the government within “the next two weeks”.

With Marie -Eve Cousineau