[van-announce] (Updated) Petition & Protest: Save the Health Contact Centre

[Harsha W.]

UPDATED NEWS:

* Health authority stands firm amid protests over closure of Downtown
Eastside Health Contact centre
http://www.straight.com/article-324540/vancouver/health-authority-stands-firm-amid-protests-over-closure-downtown-eastside-dropin-centre

* Health Contact Centre closure prompts more protests
http://www2.canada.com/vancouvercourier/news/story.html?id=cf9faea0-56ee-43c6-b43a-225b1d7b71ff


SAVE THE HEALTH CONTACT CENTRE, THE CONTACT CENTRE SAVES LIVES!

* ALL OUT FOR A MASSIVE PROTEST!
SATURDAY MAY 22ND
4:30 pm, meet outside DEWC
(302 Columbia, corner Cordova)
Bring drums, regalia, signs and your whole family!
For more information, email project at dewc.ca or call 604 681 8480 x 234

* SIGN OUR PETITION: http://www.petitiononline.com/dtesctre/petition.html
We are hoping to collect several thousand in the next week so please sign!


On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=126546530693493&ref=mf

Over the past week, hundreds have rallied in the Downtown Eastside (DTES)
to protest the closure of the Health Contact Centre. Stopping rush hour
traffic for several hours, DTES residents and concerned supporters have
been demanding that the Contact Centre be re-opened as many have recounted
how the Centre saved their lives.

It may take some time and energy, but we will continue to rally to get the
Health Contact Centre re-opened! We demand that VCHA re-open Health
Contact Centre, stop cutting funding to essential public health services
(there are two more rumoured cuts forthcoming), and take leadership from
DTES residents about our own health care needs.

************************

BACKGROUND:

On May 3, the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCHA) closed down the
Downtown Eastside Health Contact Centre without any public notice or
consultation.

VCHA claims the Contact Centre was a misallocation of funds. As DTES
residents, we say that 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.

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. We say: the other clinics do not operate through the
night and Insite is for injection users, it is not a drop-in intended for
all DTES residents.

VCHA claims they will save $500,000 - $750,000. But health care will still
be needed and costs in ambulances and emergency rooms will add up. The
Health Contact Centre saves lives.

We demand that VCHA re-open Health Contact Centre, stop cutting funding to
essential public health services (there are two more rumoured cuts
forthcoming), and take leadership from DTES residents about our own health
care needs.

************************

Some recent media coverage:

1) Downtown Eastside resident says centre 'kept me alive' last winter
http://www2.canada.com/vancouvercourier/news/story.html?id=6f108afb-c8fd-4bc1-abd8-50a69a9871e2#ixzz0nkBH5G5d

2) Closure of critical health centre hits Downtown Eastside hard
http://www.theprovince.com/health/Closure+critical+health+centre+hits+Downtown+Eastside+hard/3015014/story.html#ixzz0nkBaem7z

3) DTES health centre closure leaves gap in late-night services
http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/Health/2010/05/11/HealthCentreGap/

4) Contact Centre closure a real loss
http://www2.canada.com/vancouvercourier/news/opinion/story.html?id=eb25394c-0e4d-49a3-a1e7-19649fe1e222

5) Group to protest closure of health centre again today
http://www.straight.com/article-323456/vancouver/downtown-eastside-womens-group-protest-closure-health-centre-again-today