Health minister calls Ontario child's 40-hour ER wait 'deeply disturbing' but says the issue is 'not new'
News of an Ontario child's 40-hour wait in the emergency room made its way to Queen’s Park Wednesday, but the health minister said the overwhelmed state of hospitals in the province is not a new phenomenon.
“It is obviously deeply disturbing for all of us to hear stories about parents who have to wait with their children as they get admitted, as they are waiting for that bed to open up in the hospitals,” Sylvia Jones said during question period.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
“But I also think it's important for us to understand and appreciate that these are not new issues, and not new problems.”
Jones’ remarks were in response to a question by interim NDP Leader Peter Tabuns, who referenced the incident first reported by CTV News Toronto.
“How many more kids will have to wait long hours for care before this government takes action to relieve the burden on hospitals and ensure our kids get the care that they need,” Tabuns asked Premier Ford – who was absent from question period on Wednesday.
Earlier this month, a four-year-old child with Down syndrome was brought to Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital north of Toronto after coming down with a serious respiratory illness.
The child’s mother, who asked only to be identified as Jasmine, said she spent some 40 hours in the hospital’s emergency room before her daughter was given a bed.
A four-year-old child sleeps in a makeshift bed at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital in November 2022. (Photos provided)
“Forty hours in the ER was just completely ridiculous for a four year old. It’s unacceptable,” Jasmine told CTV News Toronto in an interview about the wait.
Her daughter was eventually diagnosed with pneumonia and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), the latter of which is one of “three major viral threats” currently facing the province’s beleaguered health-care network, the other two being COVID-19 and influenza.
For Jones’ part, she said the current Progressive Conservative government was left “in dire need" of health-care investments when it was elected in 2018.
“We will continue to do what is right and what is needed,” she said.
Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones speaks during question period at Queen's Park on Nov. 23, 2022.
Pediatric hospitals across Ontario have reported being overwhelmed in recent weeks by a crush of sick patients infected with the flu and RSV.
To that end, earlier this month, the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa was forced to open a second pediatric intensive care unit to address the overflow while Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children announced it would limit surgeries in attempt to preserve critical care capacity.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Maple Leafs eliminated from NHL playoffs with Game 7 OT loss to Bruins
Sheldon Keefe told his players hockey history would remember them one way or another.
Amid climate change warnings, Canadians lukewarm on electric vehicles
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
What a judge's gag order on Trump means in his hush money case
A gag order bars Trump from commenting publicly on witnesses, jurors and some others connected to the matter. The New York judge already has found that Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, repeatedly violated the order, fined him US$9,000 and warning that jail could follow if he doesn't comply.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Pro-Palestinian protesters at USC comply with school order to leave their encampment
Protesters left a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Southern California early Sunday after they were surrounded by police and told they could face arrest if they didn’t go.
Trudeau 'absolutely' best person to lead the Liberals in next election: LeBlanc says
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
Bombarded with spam texts? Stats show the problem is getting worse in Canada
In particular, messages that involve phishing — an attack where a scammer tries to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or sharing sensitive information — are on the rise.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.