Maternity ward to close once again at Chilliwack General Hospital, patients to divert to Abbotsford
CHILLIWACK — For the second time this year, staffing issues will impact patient care in the maternity ward at Chilliwack General Hospital.
Fraser Health Authority has notified family doctors in Chilliwack that the maternity unit at Chilliwack General Hospital will need to close for multiple days starting next week and lasting until the end of September.
According to a Wednesday night text from a Chilliwack family doctor, the maternity ward at Chilliwack General Hospital will close on specific dates in August and September and have intermittent physician coverage the next two months.
The announcements not only create an unsafe environment for women and their growing families, but also mean expecting moms from Chilliwack, Agassiz, Harrison Hot Springs, Hope, Boston Bar and the surrounding communities need to drive to Abbotsford Regional Hospital the next two months to have their babies safely delivered when the CGH maternity ward is closed.