Wait times in Winnipeg emergency rooms is longer due to meth crisis

The average wait time in February was 2 hours 9 minutes, which is 25 minutes longer than in December 2018.

On Thursday, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority reported that Winnipeg hospitals faced a record number of patients in emergency rooms. Most of them were patients using meth.

Chief health operations officer Krista Williams said that more ambulances were arriving both from the city and from the countryside. In February, 169 ambulances arrived daily to emergency rooms. If to compare to January, this is 5 ambulances more per day.

It is not surprising that all these factors led to an increase in wait time in Winnipeg emergency rooms.

If to compare the number of patients with meth addictions, in February 2018 there were 4 patients less daily than in February 2019. The statistics show that meth crisis continues to terrorize the city.

The Manitoba NDP issued a statement that blamed all innovations. The statement stated that Pallister's plan for the health care system is clearly failing. Yet another month of skyrocketing wait times, and a significant increase since he began to close ERs and cut services.

Williams from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority thanked all medical workers for their dedication, for overworking during difficult periods and for their help with problem patients. 

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