Residents getting behind petition

By Charlotte MacAulay
A petition calling on the provincial government to bring back overnight emergency service to the Kings County Memorial Hospital has had overwhelming response said Phyllis Nolan.
Hundreds of signatures have been collected from Souris to Montague , she said.
Ms Nolan started the petition in late February because she thinks it is important to have full emergency service for the people of Kings County.
The emergency department has been closed from 10pm - 8am every night since a temporary closure was put in place by the PEI health department almost a year ago.
People with a medical emergency have had to go to Charlottetown and Ms Nolan said there is more than one problem arising from this.
Not only is there a bigger time lapse for the patient getting the service they need, but it is also overloading the main hospital.
Sending people to town and have them lying on a stretcher in the hallway doesn’t say much for our healthcare system, she said.
The petitions can be found in stores and restaurants throughout Kings County and will be left until the end of the month for people to sign.
In addition to the petition, Ms Nolan is also sending a letter to all Island MLAs saying they are betraying the people by leaving them hanging.
Ms Nolan said she hopes others will write to their MLAs and speak out.
She said many people have told her they are worried about having to go all the way to Charlottetown for emergency care.
If people send their concerns to the MLAs a stronger message will be sent to government to reopen.
She said she won’t give up until a solution is found.
Ms Nolan will be at the Downeast Mall on Saturday March 20 with a petition for people to sign.
“I’m still optomistic and I’m not letting up.”
Montague Kilmiur MLA Jim Bagnall said the government’s promises to reopen have gone on too long and he is more than happy to bring the petition to legislature.
“The petition goes to show the people want the room back open. It’s about time the people in rural PEI stood up and took the government to task.”