Moe, Merriman decline ICU invitation again

Saskatchewan’s premier and health minister are brushing off another invitation, extended through the opposition leader, to tour the intensive care unit at the Regina General Hospital.

In Question Period on Monday, NDP Leader Ryan Meili once again asked Premier Scott Moe to take a tour of the ICU. Meili pointed to a nurse, the widow of a man who died of COVID in the Regina ICU, and the head of the Regina ICU, all of whom had spoken to media and expressed agreement that the premier should take the tour.

In response, Moe said he has had conversations with others who have been in the ICU, including the CEO of the Saskatchewan Health Authority and the deputy health minister who went through the ICU last week.

“We had a comprehensive briefing on exactly what the conditions are in the ICU here in Regina as well as conversations around how we are ensuring that we are utilizing the provincial ICU capacity that we have,” said Moe.

Then Moe talked about the health-care workers wanting support to do their jobs and that support had been given. He ended his answers by encouraging people to obey the public health orders and to get their COVID-19 shot as soon as they can.

Moe wasn’t made available to media after Question Period but Health Minister Paul Merriman was.

“It’s challenging in Regina, I’ve heard that,” Merriman said.

“I have had the opportunity to talk to former ICU nurses on this. I talk to my officials. I’m on calls with doctors so they can express what is going on. I have an understanding of what’s going on — that’s not in person — but I have a very good feeling as to what is happening on those and the emotion and the intensity that’s happening there.”

Merriman said he can’t thank health-care workers enough for stepping up, and repeated Moe’s sentiments that the best way to help health-care workers is to follow the public health orders and get the COVID vaccine as soon as possible.

Meili said he couldn’t believe the premier didn’t accept the invitation again, calling it a dereliction of leadership.

“Leaders show up and I am honestly floored that I asked the premier with the voices of doctors, nurses, the widow of someone who died here in our ICU in Regina, all saying, ‘Go see what’s happening,’ and he still has no interest whatsoever,” said Meili.

Meili said he believes Moe needs to tour the ICU because he’s the one making policy decisions — decisions Meili says are the reason the ICU is filled — and if he could see it in person, then he might make different decisions.

There were 27 COVID patients in the Regina ICU as of Monday. Provincewide, 45 people are in intensive care due to the virus.