Hospital water repairs to begin

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This article was published 25/04/2022 (977 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THOMPSON General Hospital’s long-standing hot water problem may soon be over.

When asked during question period Monday how much longer patients at the northern Manitoba hospital would have to use a “shower in a bag” because of the lack of hot water, Health Minister Audrey Gordon said the problem would be fixed this week.

Since at least mid-March, the regional hospital has been without hot water because parts needed for repairs were delayed by supply chain issues.

Maintenance staff have had to haul five-gallon jugs around the hospital so patients could have sponge baths. One patient admitted to the hospital Dec. 28 told the Free Press last week he hasn’t taken a hot shower since he arrived, instead using a dry “shower in a bag.”

Gordon told the house Monday the needed parts have arrived.

“By this week, all the repairs to the hot water system in that hospital will be addressed,” she said.

Gordon then questioned if NDP MLA Tom Lindsey (Flin Flon), who’s been asking for weeks about the hospital’s water problem, was aware of the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain issues.

“It is not just hot water,” the health minister said. “Even here in the legislative building, one of our elevators has been down for several months.”

“Comparing an elevator not functioning in this building, when there are three others that are, is shameful for this minister of health — to compare that to not having hot water in a hospital,” Lindsey responded.

Gordon said the MLA should be ashamed for not talking to the Northern Health region officials before raising the issue in the house again.