Health centers in Mayo, Pelly Crossing, and Destruction Bay, Yukon, are temporarily reducing hours or closing for a few days due to staff shortages, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

This recent cut in services is of particular concern to Charles Eikland, a resident of Destruction Bay 85 years old. He said he found out the medical clinic would be closed until July 24 after going there and seeing a note on the door.

He explains that last year he was close to death and only the presence of the nurse on site allowed him to be alive today.

I went into cardiac arrest here. I was lucky the nurse was there and put me on a plane or I would be dead, he assures. He now fears that if anything were to happen to him, he would have to drive an hour to get there Haines Crossing to get medical help.

Health centers can treat a minor laceration and allow for the rapid evacuation of a patient who needs immediate care.

In Teslin, the population recently found itself in a similar situation, when from July 5 to July 11 there were no nurses working in the medical clinic.

In Mayo, the health center will remain closed until Tuesday. The nurse will then only be able to treat emergencies during daytime hours, Tuesday and Wednesday, before the center resumes normal operations from July 20.

There is a shortage of medical professionals across North Americapoints out a former medical clinic employee, Susan Stewart, who lives about thirty minutes from Mayo.

The Yukon community health crisis has been exacerbated by this, but it was bad even before this shortage because the community health department isn’t even remotely cooperating with our nursesShe explains.

With the health center now closed for the next few days, people who need medical attention will have to drive three hours to Dawson City, or two hours there, according to Susan Stewart Pelly Crossing.

Most of us will not have life-threatening problems, but some may have, or it will be a matter of life and death as we try to get to where help is available.she argues.

Recruitment efforts continue, government says

Cathy Stannard, the Yukon government’s director of community nursing, says the government is aware that the partial closure of health centers presents some challenges.

In a statement, she added that the health and well-being of health workers remains a priority and that reducing benefits is a way to avoid overburdening nurses working in communities.

It also indicates that the emergency services have increased their activities to limit the impact of these closures. This includes housing paramedics in strategic locations where possible. She adds that Mayo, Teslin and others have received support Destruction Bay to ensure access to emergency services.

Meanwhile, recruitment efforts are continuing, writes Cathy Stannard, who says the department’s goal is to return to full service in affected communities on the planned dates.

She also recommends that people who need medical assistance call 911.

With files by Chris McIntyre