‘This is just unacceptable’: Beauval health centre 17-day closure sparks rural healthcare concerns
The rural northern community of Beauval, about three hours northwest of Prince Albert, is calling on the provincial government after its health care centre was forced to close its doors for 17 consecutive days due to a shortage of nurses.
Rick Laliberte, the mayor of Beauval, said that since the health centre was established around the 1980s, it has only had two registered nurses who regularly provide services for the village and all the surrounding First Nations. The population is estimated to be around 3,000 to 4,000 people from across English River, Canoe Lake, Cold Bay, and other nearby communities.
“This is a major highway [165] that runs through here, and so many emergencies happen on these highways. These two nurses have been called upon to respond for first responders,” he added.
“Without them, there’s no certainty, and people are losing trust in the system.”