Expectant mothers in the Williams Lake area will once again be able to deliver their babies closer to home.
Interior Health has announced the maternity services at Cariboo Memorial Hospital for low-risk deliveries will resume Tuesday, April 30.
Low risk deliveries include full-term babies and mothers with no or minimal complications during their pregnancies. Planned and emergency C-sections will also be available as required. Moms and babes a higher risk of complications during deliveries will continue to be directed to Kamloops or the community of their choice for the time being.
Maternity services were temporarily suspended at Cariboo Memorial Hospital at the end of February due to an unexpected, critical shortage of maternity nurses.
Interior Health says the hospital added two new maternity nurses in April and one new maternity nurse will be hired in May. Officials say more local nurses are currently being trained in full-scope maternity care and should be ready Cariboo by July. Maternity nurses from other areas of Interior Health and outside Interior Health are coming to Williams Lake to support local patients.
The Health authority says it’s confident full maternity services will once again resume at Cariboo Memorial Hospital.
