[antiwar-van] Tues: Protest AGAIN for the Health Contact Centre

[Harsha W.]

PROTEST FOR SAVE THE HEALTH CONTACT CENTRE!
Come on out again!

Approximately 100-150 DTES residents, BCGEU members, and other supporters
rallied and blocked traffic for over an hour, chanting "Contact Centre
Saves Lives, Open the Contact Centre Now!" on Monday.

People present and affected by the closure decided to rally AGAIN TOMORROW
(Tuesday) at 4:30 pm, starting in front of DEWC (302 Columbia Street,
corner Cordova).

This is short notice but hope to see you again. Save the Health Contact
Centre, the Contact Centre saves lives. Support the DTES. All welcome,
please join us.

SAVE THE HEALTH CONTACT CENTRE,
THE CONTACT CENTRE SAVES LIVES

On May 3, the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCHA) closed down the
Health Contact Centre, operating in the Downtown Eastside in an alley off
Main and Hastings. The Contact Centre has been a widely used service in
the neighbourhood, providing direct access to basic health care with
health care workers and nurses as well a community drop-in. The VCHA
claims that the Centre was closed down to 'duplication in services' citing
the existence of other health services such as the community clinics and
Insite. But the clinics do not operate through the night and Insite is not
a drop-in intended for all DTES residents.

As women residents of the DTES, we feel that the Contact Centre was a
critical service that we relied on, especially during evening and night
hours, where we and our friends have gone to for emergency care without
having to call an ambulance, and where many of us feel safe. We believe
the Contact Centre closed down, without any notice, due to budget cuts
that are a widespread legacy of the Olympic Games. Budget cuts across
health, education, welfare with the recent disability regulation changes,
and housing such as the erosion of social housing promises at Olympic
Village, are affecting all poor and low-income residents.

The DTES Power of Women Group is organizing an emergency protest against
the closure of the Health Contact Centre. Defend public services and don't
be fooled by the government's lies.