By setting up a venue for these kinds of services at the Quyon CLSC, locals could save time and money receiving necessary healthcare, according to Dr. Ruth Vander Stelt who practices at the Quyon CLSC.

One example of a resident who would benefit is . . .

someone like Lee Robinson’s mother, who is a resident of Quyon.

“My mom’s 99 years old and there’s an awful lot of elderly people in Quyon, said Robinson. “Transportation is not always easy. I think having blood work done at the CLSC in Quyon would be awesome.”

Robinson said that as of now her mother, who has limited mobility, needs to have blood work ordered by her family doctor in Quyon and then is sent to the Pontiac Hospital in order to have it done.

“It would be so much easier if I could take her up to see Dr. Vander Stelt (her mother’s doctor) and she could order blood work that could get done right away,” said Robinson.

While Robinson’s mother doesn’t have to get blood work done too frequently, some of her neighbours face a tougher time.

“There’s a lot of people I know who are diabetic and they’re having to have blood work done regularly and this would be a lot easier on them,” said Robinson.

THE EQUITY has also heard reports of a Quyon resident who had to travel all the way to Fort Coulonge for a simple dressing change procedure, though this petition only addresses sample collection and wouldn’t necessarily remedy that problem.

“I’m lucky I can drive my mom, but there’s a lot of elderly people in Quyon who have a hard time getting somebody to drive all the way there because there’s no taxi or no bus in the area,” said Robinson.

The MoP and the MRC Pontiac offer a service called TransporAction, which helps residents without a car get around the Pontiac. However, this service relies on volunteers and often can’t meet the demand of people needing to get places.

“With the price of the gas and everything, the TransporAction program is having a harder time getting people to be able to go pick [people in need] up,” said Mayor Roger Larose of the MoP.

Larose is supportive of the petition.

“It’s going to give a chance not only for the older people, but young couples or whoever needs to go to Quyon instead of going down to the hospital,” said Larose.

Larose also thinks it will be good for the hospital, as less people needing to go there will mean it won’t be as busy.

Mayor Larose encourages Pontiac residents to sign the petition and says he planned on presenting a resolution at Tuesday’s MoP council meeting in support of the petition.

Likewise, Pontiac MNA André Fortin has also expressed support for the petition.

“Taking blood samples is a fairly elementary service and making sure that citizens have access to it without traveling would have a positive impact,” said Fortin.

Fortin said the way Quyon residents are approaching this situation is appropriate. “This is a community that is standing up saying they want an additional service in their local CLSC by reaching out to myself and their doctors,” said Fortin. “Providing services like this one to folks in their communities is something that the health system should be striving to do more of.”

Fortin says he’s hopeful that lab services will quickly come to Quyon in response to the petition.

“I’ve already had some initial discussions with the health board on this and they’ve been positive,” said Fortin. “They’re very much open to the possibility of doing this. At the same time, until we have a first date at which the service can start, I certainly encourage all citizens to sign the petition.

The petition will be up until June 2, after which Fortin will present it to the National Assembly. However, he hopes that the health board will start offering lab services in Quyon before the petition runs its course.

You can find the petition here at: https://www.assnat.qc.ca/en/exprimez-votre-opinion/petition/Petition-9559/index.html

Register or subscribe to read this content

Thanks for stopping by! This article is available to readers who have created a free account or who subscribe to The Equity.

When you register for free with your email, you get access to a limited number of stories at no cost. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access to everything we publish—and directly support quality local journalism here in the Pontiac.

Register or Subscribe Today!