Quebec needs more nurses to help answer 811 calls, health minister says | 24CA News

The state of affairs in Quebec’s health-care system “will continue to be difficult” over the subsequent weeks, the province’s well being minister stated Thursday.

Christian Dubé referred to as on nurses to return and help to Info-Santé, the province’s 811 well being hotline. It obtained a minimum of 10,000 calls on Wednesday.

“The 811 (line) works very well, but we lack staff to answer the phone,” Dubé instructed reporters on the provincial legislature.

“I invite nurses who are retired, or who work for private agencies, to come and help us in the coming weeks. We can use up to 5,000 nurses,” he added.

Dubé stated the variety of influenza circumstances within the province continues to climb. He urged Quebecers to get vaccinated, saying the vaccine is now freed from cost.

He additionally urged mother and father to maintain their youngsters dwelling if they’ve flu-like signs. The most up-to-date knowledge exhibits 120,000 youngsters are absent from college.

During query interval, Liberal well being critic André Fortin criticized Dubé for his poor outcomes and stated emergency rooms are overflowing.

“In Repentigny this morning, Madame Speaker, it’s 181-per cent occupancy in the emergency room,” he stated. “In Sorel, 194 per cent. In Buckingham, 208 per cent and in Mont-Laurier, 300-per cent occupancy in the emergency room.”

Fortin stated that daily, as much as 1,500 Quebecers depart a hospital emergency room with out seeing a physician.

“It’s the failure of the minister of health. We don’t let people go without receiving care,” he stated.

— with recordsdata from Global News’ Kalina Laframboise

&copy 2022 The Canadian Press