Deadly C. difficile outbreak in Niagara sparks protest

An outbreak of C. difficile linked to the deaths of 16 patients has prompted a protest over management at Niagara region hospitals.

Since the Niagara Health System (NHS) declared the epidemic on May 28, four people have died at the Greater Niagara General Hospital, 10 at St. Catharines General Hospital and two at the Welland Hospital.

One of the organizers of a rally to take place this week says the NHS took more than a month to alert the public and it’s only the latest example of how poorly the network’s hospitals are run.

“We believe the NHS has been ignoring the crisis in health care for a while and I think this particular issue, the C. difficile, was the thing that had our council say, ‘We’ve had enough,’” said Niagara City Councillor Wayne Gates.

The NHS – a group of seven hospitals serving Niagara Falls, Ont., and St. Catharines – has restricted visitors, hired more cleaners and brought in infection-control teams.

“My priority is to keep us focused on the outbreaks, so not get distracted by the politics but make sure that we are focused internally on getting us out of the outbreak and keeping us from getting into any further outbreaks,” said NHS president Dr. Sue Matthews. “That’s our main area of focus.”

C. difficile is a bacterium that causes severe diarrhea and is usually spread through body fluids in patients who regularly take antibiotics or have weakened immune systems.

Liberal MPP Kim Craitor and Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, who is calling for a public inquiry, will join protesters outside the Greater Niagara General Hospital on Wednesday.

With files from the Canadian Press

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today