Dear Editor,

There goes the ultrasound equipment to Kamloops, another example of thievery committed by the government and health services. This is not the first time that local taxpayers, donors, and benevolent societies in the Nicola Valley
have been ripped off by the health services and government.

I do not want to give the impression that I am panning the present government; every party that has been in power has contributed to the disaster that our health-care system has become.

Supposedly educated planning people started the decline years ago by deciding to phase out services provided by hospitals in smaller centres. Nicola Valley General and Ashcroft and District General are two examples of the many
small hospitals affected.

Hospitals in larger centres such as Kamloops and Kelowna could handle the additional increases in patients that would result, so it was said, and it isn't working.

Who are you to second-guess the experts, you may ask. I am an alumnus of the university of life, hard knocks and common sense, plus a taxpayer since 1947.

At least my opinion should be aired.

No amount of money thrown at a faulty plan will improve it because the system is self-defeating.

The government and health service are arranging the demise of our once workable health plan into a copy of the system in force south of the Canada-U.S. border.

Trying to funnel too many patients through an already overtaxed facility results in long wait times.

Conclusion: Those who have money go to a for-profit private clinic to get the medical help they need. This does not usually apply to the elderly and never to the poor.

Free bus service will be supplied to those that can no longer drive or are unable to get to the larger centres on their own. Not really much help.

Major changes have to be made in the government and health service aims and the closing and downsizing of smaller hospitals has to be reversed. It is definitely wake-up time for people all over the province of British Columbia. A concerted effort to thwart the government and health service objectives has to be made before it is too late.

Bob Murray