The hospital has experienced at least two dozen healthcare service disruptions so far in 2025; however, this week the situation got even more drastic.
On Monday the hospital’s emergency room shut at 8 a.m. for 48 hours.
On Wednesday it reopened for a mere 16 hours before closing again for eight hours.
On Thursday the emergency room opened for eight hours before closing for another 24 hours.
“Somebody is going to die,” said Keith Jorgenson, Saskatchewan NDP Associate Shadow Health Minister. “The Sask. Party is playing a dangerous game, forcing people experiencing a medical emergency to take their chances that they will arrive in a brief window when this hospital is actually ready to care for them. People turned away are forced back onto the highway, during an emergency, and have to drive nearly an hour to the next closest hospital.
“None of this is acceptable.”
Jorgenson called on the Minister of Health to come out of hiding immediately Friday and launch an investigation into what is causing the repeated closures.
“From there, he needs to have a plan in place to keep this emergency room open and he needs that plan today,” Jorgenson said. “How can he claim to be doing his job when he hasn’t even addressed this crisis? Either step up and fix this crisis now or resign — people deserve healthcare that’s there when and where they need it."
“Medical emergencies in Watrous aren’t going to wait until the Minister shows up to work.”
Patients in crisis who find the Watrous emergency room closed are forced to travel to the Humboldt Hospital nearly an hour away or to one of two hospitals in Saskatoon that are even further. Notices posted online also indicate the hospital is cutting back on lab and x-ray services until at least July 7 as well.
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