By paNOW Staff

SK government to review RQHR plan to merge pediatric wards

Apr 16, 2013 | 12:19 PM

The Saskatchewan Health Minister says the government will not sign off on a possible plan to merge the children’s cancer treatment program with the pediatric unit at the General Hospital until they know it's safe.

The family of Lucian Williamson first raised alarms about this plan on social media, urging others to write to the Regina Qu’appelle Health Regina and the Minister of Health to protest the move.

Lucian was diagnosed with leukemia at seven months old, this has left his immune system compromised with a high risk of infection.

Speaking with reporters at the Legislative Building on Monday, his father Terrence Williamson said the separate pediatric oncology unit allows his son to leave his room to play or to learn to walk.

He worries that if the two pediatric units are merged, kids with cancer could be confined to their rooms due to the risk of picking up an infection from other sick kids.

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Saskatchewan Health Minister Dustin Duncan assures the public that the plan by the health region is not written in stone.

“I want to make sure that eventually if anything is approved that it’s something that not only maintains or enhances the quality of care for those kids,” he said.

The government is expecting a report on the RQHR’s proposal by this summer.

Edited by CJME’s Adriana Christianson with files from Canadian Press and Courtney Mintenko

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