News Leader News
INTERIOR HEALTH REVIEWS PROTOCOLS
In the interest of providing the highest quality care for the people of BC's interior, Interior Health is launching a review of protocols for childbirth transfers in all of its rural hospitals.
The review, which will be done by the BC Reproductive Care Program with support from BC Womens Hospital & Health Centre, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, follows the roadside birth of a baby from Princeton late in December, 2005.
An initial review of the December birth suggested that a standardized procedure might prevent this type of situation from recurring. The review will begin in late January.
"Interior Health is committed to improving the excellence of our service delivery wherever we can. Currently, IH is in an ongoing process of standardizing procedures in all our hospitals for many critical medical events," says Murray Ramsden, CEO of Interior Health, "Standardizing procedures further refines a health system that builds on the strengths of each hospital in Interior Health."
Interior Health has an excellent maternity system, with 5,548 newborns born in Interior Health hospitals annually. Of those, 488 (or 8.8%) were born at Penticton Regional Hospital.
While the maternity referral process has been in place for several years, Interior Health is now refining the transfer of mothers and babies to the nearest regional hospital.
"The Review of Rural Childbirth Protocols will build on the successful maternity system, auditing current practices, focusing upon our smaller rural hospitals and looking critically at whether current services match the established and expected standards for rural maternity care. The goal is to create standard protocol using the best practices outlined in the BC Reproductive Care Program guidelines."
The review will begin at the end of January and is expected to be presented with recommendations to the IH Board Quality Care Committee when it is complete.
ENVIROGREEN UPDATES COUNCIL
John Negrin, Vice-President of Envirogreen Technologies, and work foreman Gary Agar, attended the January 16 meeting of Town Council to provide updated information on what Envirogreen is doing.Envirogreen Technologies is located southwest of Princeton on the Similco Mines mill site. Using increasingly advanced technology, the company uses a burning system to clean contaminated soils, particularly those soils contaminated by petroleum products.
The technology was developed in the early 1990's, and the plant has been on the Similco site since 1994. Air emissions are regulated by the B.C. government.
The contaminated soils, when cleaned, are sterile. Working with Greater Vancouver Regional District, Envirogreen accepts biosolids which are mixed with the soil and spread over the Similco tailings site on Copper Mountain. The compound covering the tailings is seeded with grasses preferred by local wildlife. There are now 2,000 acres treated, and Gary Agar said he expects the entire site to be covered by the end of 2006.
A proposal is under discussion with Scott Paper to turn the former tailings into a poplar plantation to be harvested for paper production every 10 years. Envirogreen employees between 12 and 20 people a year, depending on weather and contracts for soil cleaning.
Mayor Randy McLean expressed appreciation for Envirogreen coming to Council to present the company's present activities.
John Negrin said an invitation will be published this year to attend an Open House at Envirogreen and said he hoped Council members would attend.
SOCIETY REVIEWS YEAR, ELECTS NEW BOARD
The Princeton & District Child & Youth Society held their Annual General Meeting last Thursday.
Chairman Ken Heuser presented Asset Building Awards to a number of supporters of the Society's youth objectives.
Framed Certificates of Appreciation went to Scott Musgrove (Young Life/RockRidge Canyon), Kurt Lozinski (Princeton RCMP), Ted Howorth (Princeton Legion Youth Auxiliary), Weyerhaeuser, South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation and Carol Mack.
Elections were held which saw Ken Heuser return to the Chairman's position. John McKay was re-elected Vice Chair as was Kurt Lozinski in the capacity of Secretary/Treasurer.
Directors for the 2006/07 year are Dina Slowikowski-Campbell, Ray Jarvis, Susan Murray and Barry Clarke.
The 2005 Budget for the Society showed total revenue at $44,309.13 and expenses totalling $31,090.99.
A projected budget for 2006 saw potential revenues totalling $37,628.15 with expenses projected to cost $32,011.10.
The Society currently has about $13,000.00 in the bank.
Goals and Objectives for 2006 include more emphasis on existing and new CYC Community Recreation Programs, a Youth Drug Education Initiative, more work through School Student Councils, a continued cooperative effort with Community For Kids, more work in the John Allison Elementary School Healthy Snacks Program, support of local Community Groups, a development of late night Youth Activities in and around Princeton and the continuation of the functions related to the Princeton & District Child & Youth Committee Society.
ROTARY EXCHANGE STUDENT VISITS
When Bugen Akduman was 19, she spent a year in Princeton as the Princeton Rotary Club's Inbound Exchange student.
Akduman, who lives in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, probably had no idea at the end of her Exchange Year that five years later - at the age of 24 - she would return to Canada and Princeton.
While in Princeton as an Exchange Student she attended Princeton Secondary School and participated in all the activities Canadian students take for granted.
Akduman, the guest speaker at last Tuesday's luncheon meeting of Princeton's Rotary Club, brought everyone up-to-date on her life.
"I went back to Turkey to study Electronic Engineering and I am currently working on my Masters in Industrial Engineering."
She's been working the past year and a half and has not forgotten her time in Princeton.
"Life in Turkey is very different to life in Princeton and in Canada."
Akduman, who arrived back in Canada only the previous night, shared an observation she noted once she arrived that made her feel comfortable back in Canada.
"Canadians smile a lot."
While her stay in Princeton will be short - only a few days - she will be in Canada for about a month visiting friends and family in Richmond and Ottawa.
While staying in Princeton, she will be at one of her host families homes, the home of Ernie and Marilyn Lawrence.
Akduman says she's staying in the very same room at the Lawrence's as she did when an Exchange Student. Her room back home in Turkey still has a large aerial photograph of Princeton on the wall.
"I didn't hesitate a moment to come back to Canada on my own. I missed it so much."
Rotary continues to play an important role in Akduman's life. She is the President of her local Rotaractor Club in Ankara and her father is involved in Rotary at the District level.
"We are a Rotary Family."
Akduman best explained the value of the Youth Exchange program with this statement, "There is life before exchange, there's exchange and there's life after exchange. Your life after exchange is never the same as before exchange."
