Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / Dr. Nicolene Du Toit will become the first female obstetrician-gynaecologist to work at Chilliwack General Hospital, once her credentialing and licensing processes are completed. She will be joining Chilliwack General Hospital at a time when there have been intermittent maternity unit closures at CGH, so the timing of her arrival is a welcome one. She will join two male obstetrician-gynaecologists at CGH.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

First female gynaecologist at CGH

First female gynaecologist to begin working soon at Chilliwack General Hospital

May 26, 2023 | 10:52 AM

CHILLIWACK — Once the credentialing and licensing process are completed, Dr. Nicolene Du Toit will become the first female obstetrician-gynaecologist to work at Chilliwack General Hospital.

Dr. Du Toit, who was introduced at a Chilliwack Medical Staff Association function Thursday night (May 25) at the Chilliwack Curling Club, will join two male gynaecologists in Chilliwack sometime in the coming months, adding a valuable doctor to the roster of obstetrician-gynaecologists at CGH.

Currently, expecting mothers in Chilliwack who prefer the services of a female obstetrician-gynaecologist need to go to Abbotsford Regional Hospital.

The addition of Dr. Du Toit will do wonders to help alleviate closures of the maternity ward at Chilliwack General Hospital intermittently in May and June.

Back in mid-April, Fraser Valley Today reported that a Chilliwack female family physician planned to notify patients of the shared clinic where she works about several days of maternity unit closures at Chilliwack General Hospital during the month of May.

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Dr. Alison Henry, a Chilliwack family doctor who delivers babies at Chilliwack General Hospital, first shared with Fraser Valley Today news about the impending maternity unit closures in May, not Fraser Health.

A Fraser Health spokesperson later confirmed on April 20 there would be sporadic closures of the maternity ward at Chilliwack General Hospital in May and June for as many as 10 days, but did say an obstetrician was expected to join the two existing obstetrician-gynecologists at Chilliwack General Hospital later this year.

The lack of obstetrical coverage at Chilliwack General Hospital meant expecting mothers in Chilliwack and the surrounding area have had to drive to Abbotsford Regional Hospital to have their babies safely delivered.

At one point in early 2022, CGH had four obstetricians, but one retired last year and another one has left to pursue a two-year fellowship, dropping the roster to two. The expected addition of Dr. Du Toit will bring the number of obstetricians to three at CGH.

“We are pleased to share that we have successfully recruited an obstetrician who is currently undergoing the on-boarding process,” Fraser Health spokesperson Nick Eagland said. “We anticipate they will start providing care at Chilliwack General Hospital in June 2023.”

Maternity unit closures at CGH aren’t entirely unusual. Chilliwack General Hospital encountered a somewhat similar situation nearly four years ago when Fraser Health announced the maternity ward at CGH would be closing on June 24, 2019 indefinitely due to an obstetrician staffing issue.