B.C.’s Health Minister says his Ministry is working closely with the City of Merritt to try and put an end to the series of closures that has plagued the local emergency room this year.

Adrian Dix says that includes trying to recruit more doctors and nurses to move to the Nicola Valley community.

“I think the municipality of Merritt itself is contributing to this process by supporting some housing initiatives, working with Interior Health,” Dix said, responding to a question from Radio NL.

“I think they’re dong a very good job and we’re very appreciative of that. It is critical that we be open in the places that people expect us to be open 24/7 365 and we need to meet that standard.”

The ER is Merritt is currently closed until 8am tomorrow morning, Sept. 29, due to a lack of doctors.

This is the fourth time this month – and the 14th time this year – that the Merritt ER has been shut down due to staffing issues.

“Merritt, like Grand Forks, is the recipient of numerous incentive programs to recruit people to the community,” Dix added.

“We are working hard every day to fill shifts to make sure that we don’t see closures or that they happen very rarely, but the fundamental thing is to have solutions that mean there are no closures and that is working we are working for in Merritt and everywhere else.”

Dix also confirmed he met with Merritt Mayor Mike Goetz – who told Radio NL that the recurring closures were “unacceptable” – at last week’s Union of BC Municipalities convention in Vancouver.

“[Mayor Goetz] and I regularly talk. He’s as you know a strong advocate for his community and we’ve been working very closely together,” Dix said.

“We are working hard every day to fill shifts to make sure that we don’t see closures, or they happen very rarely, but the fundamental thing is to have solution that mean there are no closures, and that is what we are working towards in Merritt and everywhere else.”