Health minister offers doctors $200K to work in Bonavista, as residents rally for better health care

With Bonavista residents sitting in the House of Assembly's public gallery, Health Minister Tom Osborne put out a call to doctors — a six-figure call.

"$200,000 for any physician in this province, or anywhere else across the country that's listening," Osborne told the House on Wednesday. "A $200,000 signing bonus for two years return-in-service to work in Bonavista."

Speaking to reporters later, Osborne elaborated on the incentive: $100,000 up front and another $100,000 after one year. The incentive will also be offered to physicians to work in New-Wes-Valley and Baie Verte.

"We're looking to the sites that have been hardest to fill, and have been the most challenging," he said. "If it's a physician from outside of the province, the Come Home Year incentive is stackable on top of that.… There's no province can match that. We are looking for doctors. We're doing everything we can."

Osborne also announced plans to open a new collaborative family clinic in Bonavista.

Nearly 20 Bonavista residents stood outside the provincial legislature Wednesday in the fight for their emergency room, which has been periodically closed since last summer. Many protesters held photos of Charles Marsh, who died in an ambulance on the way to receive care in Clarenville after finding the Bonavista emergency room closed.

"They let him down, and right now they're letting a lot of people down," said Reg Durle, who grew up in Bonavista.

"Half of this month is closures. So right now if you got a serious incident in Bonavista, you have to either get in your car and drive to Clarenville or you're expected to call an ambulance and try to get to Clarenville. So it's a very dangerous situation."

Bonavista resident Brenda Monks was motivated to be part of the rally for her sister, who was admitted to the hospital last year after she collapsed. When another health scare happened in February and she went to the emergency room for treatment, there wasn't a doctor there to help.

"Because there was no doctor she needed IV fluids, we had to rush her to Clarenville hospital just to get IV fluids," Monks said. "Unfortunately she died on Feb. 17."

Durle and Monks say the lack of an operating emergency room in their community has left them and other residents more cautious about day-to-day life, fearing what could happen if they were to need care.

"Now I sort of think over it, 'Well, will I do this today or will I wait till another day I know the hospital is open, right?'" Durle said. "And I guess it's in the back of your mind more now."

Monks said she's temporarily relocated to St. John's due to her fear of being unable to access emergency care.

Durle says he wishes the provincial government would update residents more frequently on how the search for doctors for rural Newfoundland.

"Get us more doctors, bottom line. More doctors. Keep our hospital open," Monks added.

Osborne said Eastern Health is speaking with at least five individuals about working in Bonavista.

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