Residents in Mission and surrounding communities must continue to fight to protect their health care and prevent the B.C. Liberals and and the Fraser Health Authority from reducing services at Mission Memorial Hospital, said Adrian Dix, NDP health critic, in a press conference outside the hospital Monday afternoon.

Dix and deputy health critic Sue Hammell, who was also present, charge the Campbell government is continuing on its path to cut the emergency room at MMH and the diabetic centre.

This is symbolic of what’s happening in B.C., Dix continued.

“Prior to the election campaign (the Liberals) said clearly there would be no cuts and the health authorities are not running a deficit. But days after the election, we find that’s not true.”

Fraser Health is running a significant deficit and about a month ago we found out service cuts are being considered, he added.

When Mission council met with two Liberal MLAs and the health authority, the community was told they would have urgent care, which is a downgrade from emergency care, said Dix.

According to the health critic, eliminating the ER would also take away other services. Without an emergency room, Mission’s hospital would be an urgent care centre, and most of them don’t operate 24/7, Dix noted.

“Downgrading (MMH) would be catastrophic for the region ... This is a key fight in health care in B.C.”

Abbotsford-Mission MLA Randy Hawes said there are no plans to close the ER, and reiterated the health authority is going through a planning exercise where every option is put on the table.

“No decisions have been made; all this is very premature,” said Hawes.