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Saskatchewan Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill confirmed on Monday that cockroaches were found in two rooms at Regina General Hospital in October.
The affected rooms, which were in the Mother Baby Unit, were closed and the cockroaches were removed, Cockrill said during question period.
An investigation revealed the cockroaches were brought into the hospital by a patient and her family, Cockrill said.
“Obviously cockroaches in a hospital or a health-care setting are unacceptable,” he said, before stating that there have been no further reports of cockroaches at the hospital since October.
“Regardless of how people show up, the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s job is to provide dignified and respectful care to anyone who shows up at our doors.”
Derek Miller, the SHA’s chief operating officer, said the health authority responded immediately when it heard the report of the cockroaches.
“We have ongoing monitoring for any rodents, mice,” he said. “We have a vendor that supports us in terms of ensuring that our facilities are pest-free.”
Jared Clarke, the Sask. NDP Opposition’s shadow minister for rural and remote health, who raised the issue in question period, said afterwards that he accepted Cockrill’s explanation that the issue had been dealt with.
However, he also said during question period that a constituent had reported seeing a box of mice feces while being cared for in a high-risk ward at Regina General in September.
“There should not be any pests, cockroaches or mice, in hospitals in Saskatchewan,” he said, before suggesting that understaffing may have played a role in the infestation.
“One of the things that we continually hear from front-line health-care workers is that they’re stretched to the max, and that includes cleaning staff, that includes the folks our facilities are upkept,” he said.