People in in the Kootenay Boundary will have increased access to a new MRI suite at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (KBRH) in Trail. “People living in the Kootenay Boundary will have access to timely scans through this new state-of-the-art MRI suite, providing increased diagnostic testing close to home,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “This […]

Updated reporting from the BC Coroners Service about unregulated drug toxicity deaths indicates at least 192 people died in July 2024. Between January 2024 and July 2024, 1,365 lives were lost to drug toxicity, according to preliminary data. “Unregulated toxic drugs continue to cause more loss of life in British Columbia than homicides, motor-vehicle incidents, suicides and […]

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued heat warnings for multiple areas in the Interior Health region. The Province has not declared an extreme heat emergency for this region. With elevated temperatures, the risk of heat-related illness increases. The BC Centre for Disease Control provides a broad range of heat-related guidance on its website, including information on the […]

People throughout British Columbia are encouraged to be prepared for heat as many regions of the province will experience high temperatures beginning Friday, July 5, 2024. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has forecast increasingly hot temperatures for many parts of the province this weekend, and the Province is reminding people to plan ahead to […]

A year into the 10-Year Cancer Care Action Plan to build capacity and expand access to cancer-care services to meet growing demand, more people in B.C. are benefiting from expanded screening, more access to diagnostic tests and better treatment. “The progress we have made in enhancing cancer care in just one year is a testament […]

With the arrival of summer and warmer temperatures, the BC Coroners Service (BCCS) is urging people to take extra care and plan ahead in the event of extreme-weather conditions. According to updated data from BCCS, there were 11 suspected heat-related deaths in 2023. All such deaths were reported between May and August, with more than […]

More young people who are experiencing early signs of psychosis are benefiting from expanded supports throughout the province. In 2021, the Province announced the expansion of the early psychosis intervention (EPI) program. B.C. now has more than 50 locations where people can get assessed and connected to care. The Province has funded the hiring of […]

By Dr. Matthew S. Miller, Executive Director, Global Nexus and M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University Bird flu poses a massive threat, and the potential for a catastrophic new pandemic is imminent. We still have a chance to stop a possible humanitarian disaster, but only if we get to work urgently, carefully […]

Unregulated toxic drugs claimed the lives of 182 people in April 2024 according to preliminary data from the BC Coroners Service. While this represents a 24% decrease from the number of deaths in April 2023 (239), the risk posed by unregulated drug supply remains very high. April 2024 marks eight years since the public-health emergency […]

The Province is taking action to improve care for a growing population with overlapping mental-health and addiction challenges and brain injuries from toxic-drug poisonings by appointing a chief scientific advisor to develop solutions to address their unique needs. Dr. Daniel Vigo will be B.C.’s chief scientific advisor for psychiatry, toxic drugs and concurrent disorders. Vigo […]