Staff shortages keep operating rooms at High Prairie hospital closed for years

According to the Alberta government, the High Prairie Health Complex surgical program has been on pause since 2020.

According to the Alberta government, the High Prairie Health Complex surgical program has been on pause since 2020.

That leaves the northwest Alberta region of 15,000 people — including several First Nations and Métis Settlements — with a minimum 115-kilometre journey for emergency surgery or to deliver a baby in hospital.

The gap in health care around High Prairie, about 300 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, is a symptom of a concern echoed across Alberta. Even when the infrastructure is available, rural hospitals frequently lack the necessary staff to provide routine medical services.