The Port Alice Health Forum announced that the Ministry of Health has agreed to fund an additional part time (.4 FTE) physician for Port Alice.
The news was delivered by Doug Blackie of the Vancouver Island Health Authorithy (VIHA) after more than a year of consultations, meetings, and cooperative efforts between the Port Alice Health Forum, VIHA, the Village of Port Alice, R&B Falling, Western Forest Products, and Neucel Specialty Cellulose.
"We are cautiously optimistic about having full time physician coverage for our community, which is the major industrial source of revenue for our provincial government from the North Island region," said Lee-Ann Watson, Vice President, Port Alice Health Forum in a letter to the Gazette.
According to Watson, the Port Alice Health Forum is continuing its efforts to have lab/x-ray services available on a daily basis, instead of the one day per week that is currently available.
"It has been very challenging to have the needs of our industrial community acknowledged and met, but the safety of the workers and residents of Port Alice depends on these services being available to us," said Watson.