Kenney to announce investments in Red Deer hospital Wednesday
Premier Jason Kenney will announce new investments in the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre Wednesday morning.
Kenney will be accompanied by Health Minister Tyler Shandro at the announcement, scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at the hospital.
Concerns about the state of Red Deer’s hospital have been expressed for years, with city Coun. Ken Johnston calling it “a blight on our Canadian health care system.”
He noted last week Red Deer-area residents are continuing to die of heart disease at a 50 to 60 per cent higher rate than Albertans in Calgary or Edmonton, because the local hospital continues to lack a cardiac catheterization lab.
“We have known for 15 or more years that the hospital is inadequate and it needs a cardiac lab.
“There has been study after study, discussion after discussion,” said Johnson.
Last Wednesday, the provincial government pledged $137 million to Calgary’s Peter Lougheed Centre to expand its emergency room and mental health area.
Friday, the provincial government committed $40 million to the Glenbow Museum in downtown Calgary.