BC Health Minister Adrian Dix announces plans for a new cancer centre in Kamloops, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024.
(LEVI LANDRY / iNFOnews.ca)
February 23, 2024 - 4:19 PM
The BC government did not include funding for a Kamloops cancer clinic in its budget, despite a recent update on the project from the province's health minister.
The Thompson Regional Hospital District said it's "disappointed" the project was neglected in this week's budget announcement, vowing to keep pressure on the province.
"We are concerned that the lack of mention of the Centre may represent yet another delay from the provincial government, adding to the decades of disappointment this region continues to face in accessing local cancer care," a news release from the hospital district's Cancer Won't Wait advocacy campaign reads.
Dix visited Kamloops to announce details for the $539 million cancer centre earlier this month.
He said construction will start in 2025 after a bidding process for contractors. The first patients would be welcomed inside the new facility by 2028, which is a year later than he promised in May 2023.
The 2024 provincial budget was released Feb. 22, but it had no funds set aside for a cancer care facility in Kamloops.
"We acknowledge (Health Minister Adrian Dix's) comments that the lack of mention in yesterday's budget was due to a missed printing deadline," the news release reads.
Funding for the cancer centre is expected to be included within the province's first quarter financial report, which will be released in September. The hospital district will seek to confirm there was spending dedicated to Kamloops once that report is released, according to the news release.
Once built, it will allow patients from Kamloops and the surrounding area to get radiation treatment at Royal Inland Hospital, rather than travelling to Kelowna.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Levi Landry or call 250-819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here.
News from © iNFOnews, 2024