Today, Honourable Uzoma Asagwara, Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-term Care announced the addition of an adult epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) at HSC Winnipeg. The unit has four beds and is designed to be a place where patients who aren’t responding to medication can stay to see if other treatments can be explored, like surgery.
In response to the announcement, MAHCP President Jason Linklater issued the following statement:
“MAHCP is pleased to see the epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) reopened and expanded. This will help more Manitobans get the specialized testing and monitoring they need. Unfortunately, the staffing shortage that caused the two-bed EMU to close in 2019 has not been resolved. Electroencephalographic (EEG) technologists who run these complex tests are still desperately short-staffed and in need of more help to keep up with the increased demand this reopened and expanded unit is already creating. More must be done to retain and recruit these highly specialized professionals, not just at HSC but also at St. Boniface Hospital and in Brandon. MAHCP is ready to work with Shared Health to ensure that additional operating funding goes toward the staffing needed to support this expansion.”
To read the Province of Manitoba’s news release: Province of Manitoba | News Releases | New and Expanded Epilepsy and Neurosurgery Care Opens at HSC (gov.mb.ca)