Royal Inland Hospital (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

CANCER CARE

Minister’s QP comment suggests PET-CT scanner to be included in Kamloops cancer centre; ministry won’t confirm

Nov 29, 2023 | 5:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — There was an interesting revelation in question period in the B.C. legislature on Tuesday (Nov 28). Responding to a question from BC United leader Kevin Falcon, Health Minister Adrian Dix mentioned that new PET-CT scanners are coming to British Columbia in the four new cancer centres currently being built.

“The only PET-CT scanners that existed when I became minister of health, Honorable Speaker, was in Vancouver. We’ve added in Kelowna and Victoria. We are adding in multiple other communities as we add cancer centres in Nanaimo and in Kamloops and in Surrey and in Burnaby, Mr. Speaker,” said Dix on Tuesday.

Since making that statement, Dix was not made available for an interview with CFJC News and his office has been unable to confirm via a written statement that a PET-CT scanner is indeed coming to Kamloops. That has local MLA Peter Milobar concerned the NDP could be attempting to walk it back.

“That would be a huge change to what has been talked about to this point,” Milobar said of the PET-CT. “The minister needs to be very clear, and frankly anything less than confirming that a PET-CT scanner is now part of the business case for Kamloops will be nothing more than another broken promise when it comes to cancer care and access to cancer care for residents of Kamloops and the surrounding area.”

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While it is still unclear if the piece of imagining technology will be coming to the Tournament Capital, hospital district chair Mike O’Reilly is remaining hopeful.

“A PET-CT was something that I had mentioned when Minister Dix was in Kamloops at his last announcement and saying that is something we should see in the new cancer centre… it’s the next step of cancer treatment. To hear that was a pleasant surprise, is the best way to put it, and ultimately will provide better health care for cancer patients throughout the Interior of B.C.” said O’Reilly.

With the calendar year quickly coming to an end, Milobar is ensuring the government doesn’t forget their other promise to Kamloops.

“Because we were really confident in that we started the business planning earlier, usually that takes 12-to-18 months. Instead, you will see the business plan approved six months from now, certainly before 2023,” Dix told CFJC News in May 2023.

“I’ve never heard of a board having to spend $75,000 to try to lobby for a project that, according to government, is a go. But it shows you that behind the scenes there is still a lot of concern that this promise will not be delivered by the government anytime soon,” said Milobar.

“At the end of the day we hope a business case comes forward over the next few weeks as has been spoken about for the last year. At this point, nothing has come across my desk or my calendar,” added O’Reilly.

The ministry of health was able to confirm in an email to CFJC Today that the business plan, promised by Dix by the end of this year, is still on track.