Emergency rooms in rural Manitoba face drastic holiday closures

In December 2024, Manitoba is experiencing a significant rise in emergency room closures as the holiday season approaches. According to Doctors Manitoba, only approximately 25% of emergency rooms in rural and northern regions will remain consistently open throughout the month. Out of 24 emergency rooms, many are expected to operate under limited hours or face frequent interruptions in service. Additionally, 29 health center emergency rooms are anticipated to be closed entirely during this period. This troubling trend of increased closures has been linked to ongoing staffing shortages that medical professionals have observed for several years, exacerbated by the pandemic. Dr. Nichelle Desilets has highlighted that while the staffing issues existed prior to the pandemic, there has been a recent uptick in attempts to hire more physicians. However, these efforts have not been sufficient to stabilize the emergency room services, especially during a time when medical care demand tends to rise, such as the holiday season. The group representing physicians across Manitoba is encouraging those traveling in the province during the holidays to remain informed about emergency room schedules. They have taken steps to facilitate this by creating a dedicated webpage where individuals can access information on emergency services and get advice on what to do if they encounter a medical emergency while on the road. In summary, the current situation has raised significant concerns about the availability of emergency medical services in Manitoba as the holidays unfold, leading to fears that many individuals in rural and northern communities may not have adequate access to critical healthcare. The expectation of fewer available emergency rooms not only places a strain on healthcare professionals but also poses serious risks for patients in need of immediate medical attention.