'We are in a crisis at the hospital'
The video below is Dr. Solana Walkinshaw testifying to the Anchorage assembly this week about the health care emergency in Alaska. Here is the alarming letter that she sent on behalf of the medical professionals at Providence Hospital.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy, our mayors, legislators and other elected officials are not doing near enough to deal with the clear and present danger facing the state from the pandemic. Far too many of them are in hiding with Dunleavy.
Dunleavy has the most powerful position, yet he neglects to lead, refusing to confront the opponents of vaccination.
With the largest hospital in Alaska now rationing care, every hospital and every Alaskan will be impacted. This means that health care workers will be forced to decide which sick people will not get care.
When there are four patients and only two machines in intensive care, two of the patients will not get the treatment they need.
There are sick people waiting hours in hospital parking lots across the state to be seen in emergency rooms. There are sick people waiting in villages and small towns because there is no room for them in Anchorage hospitals.
The doctors are asking for three things.
Wear a mask.
Get tested if you have symptoms.
Get vaccinated.
Dr. Leslie Gonsette said that Alaskans are not getting the care they deserve and deaths may result. This is not just about unvaccinated people, she said. Anyone who needs medical care may not get it because hospital resources are not available.
She said she had a patient that day in critical condition who needed an ICU bed, but there was no space.
An ethics committee has started at Providence to make decisions on who will or will not get care.
She said Alaskans do not know how bad things have gotten.
I think that part of this is because Alaska news organizations have not done a good job in conveying the seriousness of the situation. And part of that is because Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, Fairbanks Mayors Jim Matherly and Bryce Ward and others in their positions have not conveyed the seriousness of the situation to the public.
Dunleavy and Bronson are in positions with the greatest influence, yet they are either unable or unwilling to take charge.