Latest news with #Kelowna
CBC
9 hours ago
- General
- CBC
Kelowna General Hospital doctors warn of 'collapse' of primary maternity care coverage
Doctors in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) are warning that the maternity ward is on the verge of collapse amid a shortage of family physicians. A joint statement from all nine members of the department issued Thursday said that "without immediate action from health authorities and government decision-makers, the safety of patients and newborns is at serious risk." "Due to a critical shortage of family physicians willing or able to provide this care— worsened by a failure to recruit replacements—our hospital is facing a collapse of its primary maternity care coverage as early as June 1, 2025. "This means that many pregnant patients may arrive at the hospital in labour with no doctor available to provide safe, continuous care during delivery." The doctors said their concerns about staffing and support have gone largely unanswered and they're demanding immediate action from Interior Health. The doctor representing the group declined an interview request from CBC News. Dr. Hussam Azzam, executive medical director for Interior Health South, acknowledged the physicians' concerns, saying KGH leadership is in regular contact with with the ob-gyns to address a complex issue with "multiple pillars to it that we need to address." "We are open to listen and we're open to work with them collaboratively to meet their needs and to deliver the best quality care that they've trained to do," Azzam said. Dr. Charlene Lui, president of the professional association Doctors of B.C., said family doctors often handle low-risk patients with obstetricians focused on cases that are high risk and more complex. "When we have fewer low-risk maternity providers that are family physicians, then that puts additional pressure on our obstetricians to sometimes need to be in several places at the same time when an emergency arises," Lui said. The statement followed last week's announcement of an extended closure of the pediatric unit at KGH. The health authority said it temporarily closed the pediatric care unit at the hospital to address scheduling gaps due to limited physician availability. "We are very alarmed to hear that the issues at Kelowna General continue to escalate without solutions from the health authority," Lui said Friday. KGH is a regional referral centre with over 1,800 deliveries each year and a Tier 4 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) caring for babies born at 30 weeks gestation or later, according to the doctors' letter. Dr. Jeff Eppler, an emergency department physician at KGH, told CBC News on Friday that he was heading into a weekend shift amid staff shortages, including no pediatricians and a limited number of ob-gyns. "Our staff is burning out. All of these service disruptions just make the job so much harder for all of us in the emergency department," Eppler said. "And even though we are all starting to burn out, we are going to have to pick up extra shifts this summer to make up for all the shortcomings in the system." In a statement, B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne said parents can be assured that all of the hospital's critical care services for children remain open, including the emergency department and NICU. Gavin Dew, the B.C. Conservative MLA for Kelowna-Mission, described the situation at the hospital as a "crisis of government neglect." "We have multiple departments of the hospital who clearly feel as if they are not being heard by the folks who should be listening to them and are resorting to making public the crisis-level conditions at the hospital," Dew said. The hospital ob-gyns said they have warned administrators of the risks, and have tried to offer solutions. "We have submitted multiple letters, proposals, and formal communications urging action," reads the statement. "Our concerns have gone largely unanswered." They are calling on Interior Health and B.C.'s health ministry to create a contingency plan to ensure patients are cared for and to support the transfer of maternity patients if care can't be provided locally. Osborne acknowledged the hard work of pediatricians at KGH, saying they have been dealing with staffing shortages and are "understandably experiencing burnout." She went on to say the province's efforts to recruit health-care workers are starting to pay off. Two new pediatricians have accepted offers to work at KGH, she said, with the first set to arrive in July.
CBC
17 hours ago
- General
- CBC
Ob-gyns pen letter warning of 'unsafe' maternity conditions at Kelowna General Hospital
Days after Interior Health announced the pediatric unit at Kelowna General Hospital would be closed for at least six weeks due to staffing shortages, a group of ob-gyn doctors are now warning the maternity ward is on the verge of collapse this weekend for the same reason. CBC's Michelle Morton has more.
CTV News
19 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
Kelowna General Hospital's maternity ward faces crisis
Vancouver Watch OB/GYNs say a lack of family physicians at Kelowna General Hospital's maternity ward heightens the risk of pregnant patients being without adequate care.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Avant Brands Inc. Announces Voting Results From 2025 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders
KELOWNA, BC / / May 30, 2025 / Avant Brands Inc. (TSX:AVNT)(OTCQX:AVTBF)(FRA:1BU0) ("Avant" or the "Company"), a leading producer of innovative and award-winning cannabis products, held its annual general meeting of shareholders of the Company (the "Shareholders") on May 30, 2025 (the "Meeting"). 1,752,490 of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares, representing 16.19% of the total issued and outstanding common shares of the Company, were represented in person or by proxy at the Meeting. The complete voting results from the Meeting are as follows: 1. Election of Directors Each of the six nominees listed in the management information circular of the Company dated April 22, 2025 (the "Circular") were elected to hold office until the next annual meeting of Shareholders or until their successor is duly elected or appointed. Proxies were tabulated as follows: 2. Ernst & Young LLP was re-appointed as auditor ("Auditor") of the Company for the ensuing year at a remuneration to be fixed by the Company's Board of Directors. 3. The Company's deferred share unit plan was approved. 4. The amendments to the Company's deferred share unit plan were approved. 5. The Company's long term incentive plan was approved. 6. The amendments to the Company's long term incentive plan were approved. 7. The repricing of certain warrants and convertible debentures originally issued by the Company on July 26, 2024 pursuant to a private placement was approved. The results on all matters voted at the Meeting are reported in the Report of Voting Results, filed on SEDAR+ under the Company's profile at Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. About Avant Brands Inc. Avant is an innovative, market-leading premium cannabis company. Avant has multiple operational production facilities across Canada, which produce high-quality, handcrafted cannabis products based on unique and exceptional cultivars. Avant offers a comprehensive product portfolio catering to recreational, medical, and export markets. Avant's consumer brands, including BLK MKT™, Tenzo™, Cognōscente™, flowr™ and Treehugger™, are available in key recreational markets across Canada. Avant's products are distributed globally to Australia, Israel and Germany, with its flagship brand BLK MKT™ currently being sold in Israel. Additionally, Avant's medical cannabis brand, GreenTec™, serves qualified patients nationwide through its GreenTec Medical portal and trusted medical cannabis partners. Avant is a publicly traded corporation listed on the TSX (TSX:AVNT) and accessible to international investors through the OTCQX Best Market (OTCQX:AVTBF) and Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FRA:1BU0). Headquartered in Kelowna, British Columbia, Avant operates in strategic locations including British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. For more information about Avant, including access to investor presentations and details about its consumer brands, please visit For further inquiries, please contact:Investor Relations at Avant Brands Inc.1-800-351-6358ir@ CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" as defined under applicable Canadian securities legislation, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or similar expressions and includes information regarding the Meeting; filing and mailing of the Circular; and the proposed Repricing Amendments. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical fact but instead reflects management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the Company. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: risk related to the ability to obtain additional financing; limited operating history; regulatory and licensing risks; changes in consumer demand and preferences; changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; the global regulatory landscape and enforcement related to cannabis, including political risks and risks relating to regulatory change; compliance with extensive government regulation; public opinion and perception of the cannabis industry; and the risk factors set out in the Company's annual information form dated February 28, 2025, filed with Canadian securities regulators and available on the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information, which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. SOURCE: Avant Brands Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CTV News
19 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
OB/GYNs warn of looming crisis in maternity ward at Kelowna General Hospital
Nine doctors who work in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Kelowna General Hospital are warning because of a lack of family physicians who can deliver babies, the region faces the collapse of primary maternity care coverage as early as June 1. In a news release, the nine OB/GYNs, who provide specialized care for high-risk pregnancies and emergency services at the hospital, say they're also being asked to cover low-risk labour deliveries, which are normally covered by family doctors and midwives. 'If a low-risk patient is delivering and something high-risk or emergency comes along where the obstetrician is urgently needed, they can't be in two places at once. So it causes some serious concerns around delivering quality patient care and safety,' said Dr. Charlene Lui, the president of Doctors of B.C. The news release says it puts the OB/GYNs in a position where they will have to choose which patient to care for first, which could result in permanent harm to mother or baby. 'These doctors are sounding the alarm because somebody is going to get hurt, somebody is going to die,' said Gavin Dew, the B.C. Conservative MLA for Kelowna-Mission. 'It has gone on for far too long. These smart, talented and trained frontline professionals have not been heard.' The warning about a looming crisis in the maternity ward at Kelowna General comes on the heels of the pediatric unit announcing it will close for six weeks because of a shortage of pediatricians. 'Kelowna at the moment is really seeing some enhanced challenges compared to other regions of the province and the country,' said Lui. 'This is in every parent WhatsApp group in Kelowna and in the Okanagan. Everyone is talking about this, everyone is scared by this, everyone is angry about this,' said Dew. 'We obviously need appropriate staffing levels. We obviously need operational changes. But the most important thing that needs to happen is that government needs to start listening to the frontline medical professionals who are the boots on the ground dealing with this crisis,' he added. 'We do have concerns that Interior Health is downplaying how serious these issues are and how they can negatively affect patients in the community and the physicians working in the hospital,' said Lui. CTV News reached out to Interior Health for comment but did not hear back by deadline. This article will be updated if a response is received.
