There is “no connection to be made” between the death of Richard Genest in Senneterre and the closure of the emergency services during the night, insisted Thursday the Minister of Health, Christian Dubé, after opposition have blamed the government for this event.
“Even if it is a tragedy, we must still separate the specific case of Mr. Genest from two issues: the closing of emergencies at night and the ambulance service”, launched Minister Dubé on his arrival at the National Assembly. . “The coroner’s first analysis [mandaté par le CISSS pour se pencher sur les événements]is that there is no link between the death of Mr. Genest, who is very unfortunate, and these two services, ”he also declared.
At the Salon Bleu, Prime Minister François Legault declared that the Coroner’s Office, “after consultation with a doctor, determined that there was no matter for an investigation.”
Richard Genest ran into the closed doors of the Senneterre emergency room on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday. He died two hours later, after 140 kilometers by ambulance, in the lift of the Amos health center. He had previously been brought to Val-d’Or, not without waiting for the paramedics, already busy, to free themselves. Due to manpower issues, Senneterre announced a contingency plan in September that included closing its emergency at night.
“The journey the patient had to take is like leaving Montreal, going to Joliette to be told that the specialist we need is in Saint-Jérôme. The patient died in the elevator a few minutes from the specialist who could have saved him, ”said the member for Rouyn-Noranda-Témiscamingue, Émilise Lessard-Therrien, on Thursday.
In his opinion, it is “extremely important” for a coroner to take up the case. “Senneterre is the symptom of a deeper disease, our system is hemorrhaging in Abitibi-Témiscamingue and the minister does not even have”plaster”. I don’t even know if he’s looking for the box, ”she continued. The Liberal Party of Quebec and the Parti Quebecois have also called for a coroner’s inquest.
Christian Dubé then explained that a coroner had already been mandated to “do a first analysis of the facts”. “Me, I trust the coroner based on the facts that he has,” he said. The Minister then invited “everyone, particularly [la] family [de M. Genest, à se manifester] if there were other facts that needed to be analyzed ”. He undertook to relaunch the investigation, if necessary. “Because for the moment, there is no matter for investigation”, he underlined.
Responsible government, according to oppositions
At a press briefing, the liberal leader, Dominique Anglade, said she expected “a very serious awareness” from the government after the death of Mr. Genest.
“It is the government’s decision to close the emergency and if you talk to the people of Senneterre today, they will tell you that, clearly, it is the consequence of the closure of the emergency,” he said. -she throws. She called for the reopening of emergencies at all times in Senneterre, “as in Gatineau, as in Lachine, as in Coaticook”. “There are solutions on the ground, [les gens] came up with proposals and they were never heard. We have a government that does not listen, ”she railed.
During question period, Premier Legault criticized him for establishing links between events “without having the facts”. “I invite the leader of the official opposition to pull herself together, to be worthy of her post,” he suggested. “It’s so easy to criticize, but it’s harder to suggest. What does it offer, concretely? What does she offer? “, He was also annoyed.
The PQ member Joël Arseneau also pointed out the management of the government. “It is he who is responsible for the current service in terms of primary health care in Senneterre today,” he said. “Personally, I find it absolutely absurd that the decision to close the emergency room has been taken. I am calling today for it to be reopened and for resources to be found. “
At Québec solidaire, Ms. Lessard-Therrien underlined that “we all feel like having one, guilty”. “I think it’s premature to identify a culprit at this time,” she then qualified. That’s why we’re asking for a coroner’s inquest. “