Parents and doctors in Kelowna, B.C., are expressing serious concerns over the ongoing four-week closure of the pediatric ward at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH), which has caused anxiety for families with medically fragile children. BC Health Minister Josie Osborne is closely monitoring the situation, while Interior Health states the closure was a difficult but necessary decision to protect critical pediatric services.
Minister ‘closely monitoring’ crisis at Kelowna hospital as more parents express concerns
BC Health MinisterKelowna hospitalPediatric ward closureBc health ministerKelowna
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Parents and doctors in Kelowna, B.C., are expressing serious concerns over the ongoing four-week closure of the pediatric ward at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH), which has caused anxiety for families with medically fragile children. BC Health Minister Josie Osborne is closely monitoring the situation, while Interior Health states the closure was a difficult but necessary decision to protect critical pediatric services.
Trending- 1 November (unspecified year): Raven spent nine days in pediatric unit for RSV.
- 2 Last couple of years: Unsuccessful calls for changes led to physician resignations.
- 3 Four weeks ago: Pediatric ward at KGH closed.
- 4 Wednesday (June 18, 2025): BC’s health minister told Global News she is monitoring the situation.
- Increased anxiety for families with medically fragile children
- Potential increased risk of infection for complex patients in emergency departments
- Service disruption for pediatric care
- Physician resignations
What: Closure of the pediatric ward at Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) and concerns from parents and doctors.
When: Fourth week of closure; discussions started Wednesday (June 18, 2025); closure may last beyond initial six weeks.
Where: Kelowna General Hospital (KGH), Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.
Why: Physician resignations due to difficult working conditions led to the closure; Interior Health states it was necessary to protect critical pediatric services like high-risk deliveries.
How: Interior Health made the decision to close the ward; BC Health Minister Josie Osborne is monitoring and confident discussions are proceeding.