Six new ICU beds in operation in Saskatchewan hospitals

Six new intensive care unit beds have opened in Saskatchewan, with five more to be added before the year is out.

The provincial government said in its March budget it would be spending $12.5 million to add 11 ICU beds in the province this year, increasing the total from the 79 the province currently has — a number that was surpassed during the fourth wave of COVID-19. On Oct. 18 of last year, there were 85 people with COVID in Saskatchewan’s ICUs.

The government’s goal is to get the number of ICU beds in Saskatchewan to 110 by 2024-25.

“Our government has taken crucial steps forward to begin delivering on our commitment to provide more ICU beds to benefit our sickest patients, such as those requiring surgery and advanced procedures,” Health Minister Paul Merriman said in a media release Monday.

“The $12.5-million investment in this budget is the first of a multi-year strategy to support the addition of ICU beds to the provincial system this year, which will improve patient flow and surgical capacity. These additions will also allow existing ICU beds to be used to their full potential and will result in less service disruption and staff redeployment.”

Three of the new beds that have opened are at St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon, two are at Regina’s General Hospital and one is at Prince Albert’s Victoria Hospital.

Of the remaining five beds to be added this year, four are to be at Regina’s Pasqua Hospital and one is to be at Yorkton Hospital.

The budget also included $3 million to fund 10 new high-acuity beds at Regina’s General Hospital for patients with more complex medical needs.