The news came like a sudden frost in June—Kelowna General Hospital’s pediatric inpatient unit would close for three months starting July 15th. For parents across the Interior, the announcement landed with the weight of uncertainty, raising questions about where their children would receive care during medical emergencies.
“My daughter has been hospitalized three times for respiratory issues,” says Melissa Werger, a mother of two from West Kelowna. “Knowing the pediatric unit won’t be there this summer keeps me up at night.”
Last week, Interior Health announced the temporary closure, citing critical staffing shortages. The decision means children requiring overnight care will be transferred to hospitals in Kamloops, Vancouver, or elsewhere in the province. The announcement sparked immediate community backlash, with parents, healthcare workers, and local officials demanding answers.
In response to mounting criticism, Interior Health CEO Susan Brown addressed concerns in a community forum yesterday at Okanagan College. Brown emphasized that emergency pediatric care would continue at KGH, with only inpatient services being redirected.
“No child will be turned away from our emergency department,” Brown stated. “Our pediatric emergency services remain fully operational, and we’re implementing additional support systems during this difficult transition.”
According to data from Interior Health, the pediatric unit typically serves between 8-15 inpatients daily during summer months. Health officials project approximately 60-90 families may be affected by the closure between July and October.
Dr. Shallen Letwin, Vice President of Clinical Operations, explained the decision came after months of recruitment efforts failed to secure enough specialized pediatric nurses.
“We currently have six full-time equivalent positions unfilled despite aggressive recruitment,” Letwin said. “Without appropriate staffing levels, we cannot provide the quality of care these children deserve.”
The staffing challenges at KGH reflect a broader healthcare workforce crisis across British Columbia. A 2023 report from the BC Nurses’ Union revealed nearly 5,000 nursing vacancies across the province, with rural and specialized positions facing the most severe shortages.
For families like the Wergers, the closure means more than inconvenience—it represents potentially dangerous delays in care and significant financial strain for families needing to travel.
“If my daughter has another respiratory crisis, we’re looking at a two-hour drive to Kamloops or a five-hour drive to Vancouver,” Werger explained. “That’s assuming we can get there—we’re a single-car family with my husband working full-time.”
The provincial government has announced interim measures to assist affected families, including accommodation subsidies for parents needing to stay overnight near their hospitalized children and expanded medical transportation services. Health Minister Adrian Dix called the situation “regrettable but necessary to ensure patient safety.”
At yesterday’s forum, community members pressed CEO Brown on why the health authority couldn’t offer financial incentives to attract nurses to the pediatric unit.
“We’ve implemented premium pay packages and relocation allowances,” Brown responded. “But the reality is we’re competing with every health authority in Canada for a limited pool of specialized pediatric nurses.”
Local pediatrician Dr. Maria Thompson expressed measured support for the decision, despite concerns about patient care.
“Running a pediatric unit with inadequate staffing puts children at risk,” Thompson told me after the forum. “But the health authority needs to be transparent about exactly what steps they’re taking to prevent this from happening again.”
Thompson and other healthcare providers have formed a community working group with Interior Health to monitor the situation and develop long-term solutions. Their first recommendation: establishing a dedicated pediatric nurse training program at Okanagan College, with guaranteed positions upon graduation.
During my visit to the soon-to-be-closed unit last evening, the hallways were unnervingly quiet. A veteran nurse who requested anonymity shared that morale among remaining staff has plummeted.
“We feel like we’ve failed these kids somehow,” she said, arranging stuffed animals on a patient’s bed. “Many of us have been working double shifts for months trying to keep this unit open. We’re exhausted, but we don’t want families to suffer.”
For community advocates like Sarah Jenkins, founder of the Okanagan Family Health Coalition, the closure represents systemic issues within healthcare delivery.
“This isn’t just about nurse shortages—it’s about healthcare planning that consistently overlooks pediatric services,” Jenkins said. “The Interior deserves the same level of care as the Lower Mainland.”
Interior Health officials promised weekly updates throughout the closure period and a clear timeline for reopening. Brown committed to personally reviewing staffing models and recruitment strategies, with a comprehensive plan due by September.
As the forum concluded, Brown acknowledged the impact on the community: “We hear your frustration and fear. I want to assure every parent that this decision wasn’t made lightly, and we’re working tirelessly to minimize disruption to care.”
For families like the Wergers, these assurances provide little comfort as summer approaches—a season that typically brings increased pediatric hospitalizations due to accidents, summer illnesses, and asthma exacerbations.
“We just want to know our kids will be okay,” Werger said, glancing at her daughter playing nearby. “Everything else is secondary to that.”
