Canadian Press file photo

By Shaun Penner

Medical Aid

Alberta to receive help from Canadian Armed Forces, others to alleviate hospital strain

Sep 30, 2021 | 5:08 PM

Premier Jason Kenney says Alberta has agreed to accept support from the federal government, the Canadian Red Cross and Newfoundland and Labrador to help the province’s overloaded healthcare system amid the fourth wave of COVID-19.

Kenney said the province is finalizing an agreement with the Canadian Armed Forces to bring up to 10 ICU-trained staff members to the province. Those members would likely be deployed in Edmonton, he said.

He also said the province will be receiving up to 20 medical staff from the Red Cross to help at the Red Deer Regional Hospital. Those staff would be ICU-trained staff with various levels of training.

Also, Kenney says Newfoundland and Labrador has agreed to send six ICU-trained staff to the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre in Fort McMurray to staff additional ICU beds, with further details to be announced.

Kenney did not state whether any of the support would be deployed to the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Grande Prairie, which as of earlier this week was operating its ICU at 100% capacity.

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“We will do whatever it takes to protect Albertans and the health-care system,” Kenney said Thursday. “The steps taken today will help increase our capacity and keep delivering care province-wide, and every bit helps.”

The province adds as part of contingency planning, the Canadian Armed Forces will prepare to provide medical transport out-of-province, if necessary. The province says the Canadian Armed Forces will be ready to support within 48 hours, if needed.

As of September 29, there were 1,083 Albertans in hospital with COVID-19, 263 of whom were in intensive care.

AHS says the province currently has 373 ICU bed spaces in the province, including 200 additional surge capacity beds.