EDMONTON –
The leaders of 4 health-care unions and the Alberta Federation of Labour implored Premier Jason Kenney to submit a proper request for help from Ottawa as hospitals grapple with rising numbers of COVID-19 sufferers.
The leaders of the health-care unions within the province, representing 100,000 folks working within the system, despatched a letter Saturday saying it was their evaluation that hospitals had been not on the breaking point however that they had been “truly collapsing in entrance of our eyes.”
The presidents of the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA), the Alberta Union of Provincial Workers (AUPE), the Well being Sciences Affiliation of Alberta (HSAA) and the Canadian Union of Provincial Workers (CUPE) all signed the letter.
“We’re writing at this time because the presidents of Alberta’s largest well being care unions and Alberta’s largest employee advocacy group to induce you within the strongest attainable phrases to name on the federal authorities to instantly deploy the navy, the Purple Cross and all obtainable medical staffing assets from different provinces to help our province’s overwhelmed hospitals,” the letter learn.
Because the fourth wave of COVID-19 surges throughout Alberta, the province has begun to implement extraordinary measures to make room for the day by day common of 20 new sufferers being admitted into the province’s ICUs.
Alberta Well being Companies (AHS) started sharing and coaching employees on its vital care triage protocol, outlining how life and dying selections needs to be made if the province’s health-care system is overwhelmed previous its breaking level, this week.
Subject hospitals have been ready in Edmonton and Calgary and surge ICU beds in hospitals, AHS mentioned.
Alberta has 310 ICU beds together with 137 surge beds, AHS CEO Dr. Verna Yiu mentioned on Thursday. Eighty-six per cent of these beds are occupied – largely by COVID-19 sufferers.
The letter was additionally despatched to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Rachel Notley, the chief of the official opposition.
CTV Information Edmonton reached out to the premier’s workplace for remark.
“There aren’t any extra nurses in our province who may be deployed. There aren’t any extra paramedics,” the well being care union leaders mentioned. “The tank is empty. The effectively is dry.
“So please, on behalf of our beleaguered members on the front-line of this disaster, and on behalf of all Albertans, we’re formally asking you to request assist from the federal authorities.”
With recordsdata from CTV Information Edmonton’s Jay Rosove
