Between July 22 and 30, the Northern Haida Gwaii Hospital鈥檚 emergency department closed six times due to medical staff shortages, and 16 times over the entire month.
This accounts for about 15 evening and overnight closures, one daytime closure, and two 24-hour closures.
As a result, residents in the northern part of the archipelago had to drive one-and-a-half hours south to Haida Gwaii Hospital & Health Centre in Daajing Giids in case of an emergency. There is no transit option available.
Northern Health informed the public through its Facebook page that these service interruptions have been due to physician coverage shortages, or nursing staff shortages.