Residents of Nakusp and area are advised that Interior Health has secured nursing coverage and the emergency department at Arrow Lakes Hospital has re-opened.   Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.    The emergency department in Nakusp is normally open 24/7. 

Nakusp and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Arrow Lakes Hospital due to limited nursing availability.  Emergency services will be unavailable from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb 26. Patients can access care at Kootenay Lake Hospital during this time.  All other inpatient services will continue as normal at Arrow Lakes Hospital. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

100 Mile House and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at 100 Mile District General Hospital due to limited nursing availability. Emergency services will be unavailable from 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb 24 to 7 a.m. on Sunday, Feb 25. Patients can access care at Cariboo Memorial Hospital during this time. During this time, all other inpatient services will continue as normal at 100 Mile District General Hospital. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.  The emergency department in 100 Mile House is normally open 24/7.

Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital due to limited physician availability. Emergency services will be unavailable from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb 24. Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital during this time. All other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General Hospital. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.  The emergency department in Oliver is normally open 24/7.

Interior Health president and CEO Susan Brown has issued the following statement on the loss of Interior Health Board Chair Dr. Doug Cochrane: “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Doug Cochrane, Chair, Interior Health Board of Directors.  “Dr. Cochrane joined Interior Health in 2017, and every day since then, he demonstrated a deep commitment to continuous improvement of patient care, quality and safety knowing it would lead to improved health outcomes for the people we serve. Doug leaves a lasting legacy as he guided our reconciliation efforts from a personal commitment to listening and learning from Indigenous peoples in the Interior, their histories and how the current systems in place have impacted them directly. Indigenous health and wellness were of particular importance to Doug as he served as Co-Chair of both the First Nations and Métis partnership leadership tables. “Doug’s contributions to British Columbia’s health-care system overall are unparalleled, having chaired the BC Patient Safety Task Force from its inception in 2003 to the creation of the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council (now known as Health Quality BC) and as the provincial patient safety and quality officer from 2008 to 2019. Doug was also past chair of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute. “Doug was a highly esteemed mentor and educator, with more than three decades of clinical expertise as a pediatric neurosurgeon. He was appointed Professor Emeritus by the UBC department of surgery in 2016 and served as faculty for the Health Quality BC Quality Academy and Clinician Quality Academy programs, as well as the Sauder Physician Leadership program at UBC. “I will miss Doug as a colleague, mentor, and friend and remember him for his kind and gentle approach to leadership, always willing to take on the toughest of challenges in the most human of ways.  “On behalf of Interior Health, I extend our deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.” Related Stories@IH: Remembering Interior Health Chair Dr. Doug Cochrane Read statement from Adrian Dix, Minister of Health

New Denver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Slocan Community Health Centre due to limited nursing availability. From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, emergency services will be unavailable and patients can access care at Arrow Lakes Hospital at 97 - 1st Ave NE, Nakusp. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.  The emergency department in New Denver is normally open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week while Interior Health continues to recruit to fill positions to return to 24/7 operations.

Please see the attached document to learn more about the look, contamination, and risk associated with the current drug alert.

Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital due to limited physician availability. Emergency services will be unavailable from 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb 16 until 5 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17. Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital during this time.   All other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General Hospital.   People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.    Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.    The emergency department in Oliver is normally open 24/7.

Interior Health (IH) is reminding parents about the importance of childhood immunizations while making it easier for families to get caught up, as many children are unimmunized or under-immunized.   Interior Health data shows declining immunization rates for children. While the majority of parents believe that childhood vaccines are safe and effective**, there are many reasons for the decrease in rates including concerns or questions sparked by online misinformation, limited time in today’s busy schedules, or simply forgetting.   “Interior Health is taking steps to help busy families get their children’s immunizations up to date,” said IH Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Martin Lavoie. “Vaccines give infants and children the best protection from more than a dozen diseases that can be severe, can lead to serious complications, and in some cases can even be fatal."   As of Dec. 31, 2023, 56.3 per cent of seven-year-olds were immunized, which is well below the IH target of 70 per cent necessary to prevent disease transmission. The rate for two-year-olds is 68.5 per cent, significantly below the 90 per cent target for that age group*.   Taking action To help address these low rates this year, extra clinics for immunization services will be introduced at community health centres; Kindergarten clinics are being piloted in some schools; and mobile immunization services will bring these services to select rural communities. In addition, students in Grade 10 - 12 can drop into clinics at school to get caught up on routine immunizations they have missed and ask public health nurses any questions they may have.   “Many people have questions – that is understandable. As health professionals we are here to help everyone understand potential side effects, vaccine effectiveness, and the consequences of not being vaccinated, and help families make informed decisions,” said IH Medical Health Officer Dr. Fatemeh Sabet.   To increase awareness IH is launching a new campaign that emphasizes the safety and effectiveness of childhood immunizations and the dangers of vaccine-preventable diseases, with testimonials from local health-care professionals and parents.   Routine childhood immunizations are free of charge and easy to get; caregivers can book an appointment at a Child Health Clinic at their local public health centre. If a child has missed a vaccine, public health staff can help get them caught up. To view the schedules for infant, child and teen immunizations, and to see the list of vaccines included in routine immunizations, visit Immunize BC.   Risks of low immunization rates Current immunization rates are concerning because these diseases still occur and can spread easily. For example, measles cases have been reported in four U.S. states, including Washington, in 2024; a person in Alberta who was diagnosed with measles in November 2023 had recently travelled through B.C.; and there is currently a major outbreak of measles in Birmingham, England. Additionally, there have been outbreaks in many African and Asian countries. Over the last six months, B.C. has seen cases of pertussis (whooping cough) in multiple areas of the Interior region, and in Summer 2023 there was a pertussis outbreak in southern Manitoba.   Their best shot Castlegar-based family physician and mom Dr. Erin Charman is happy to be among those featured in the IH awareness campaign. "I thought this was a great chance to share the importance of childhood immunizations and to help parents protect their children," she said.   “I wanted to participate in the childhood immunization campaign because as a parent and community member I witness a lot of misinformation online. I want parents to know where to find accurate information to make an informed decision and know that they can contact public health at any time with their questions or concerns. We’re here to help,” said Kelowna public health nurse Ashley Stone.   To learn more and watch videos from the campaign visit interiorhealth.ca/theirbestshot. Background Health Service Delivery Area immunization rates* 2-year-olds (target 90%): IH-wide: 68.5% East Kootenay: 71.9% Kootenay Boundary: 66.6% Okanagan: 68% Thompson Cariboo Shuswap: 68.7% 7-year-olds (target 70%): IH-wide: 56.3% East Kootenay: 64.7% Kootenay Boundary: 54.8% Okanagan: 53.2% Thompson Cariboo Shuswap: 58.6% Learn more about Health Service Delivery Areas *Immunization coverage data sourced from the Provincial Immunization Registry. **2021 Childhood National Immunization Coverage Survey, Public Health Agency of Canada.