KAPUSKASING - The only obstetrics unit within an 800-kilometre stretch of northern Ontario is facing the threat of closure, raising serious concerns about the safety of mothers and newborns.
Sensenbrenner Hospital in Kapuskasing, which serves a vast area between Thunder Bay and Timmins, is struggling to keep its obstetrics program running due to a lack of funding, particularly for general practitioners (GPs) providing obstetrical care.
Dr. Jessica Kwapis, chief of staff at Sensenbrenner, has urgently called on the Ministry of Health to intervene before it’s too late.
TimminsToday reached out to the ministry but did not receive a response.
As of Dec. 1, the hospital will lose one of its three local GPs who provide obstetrical care. Kwapis explained that while two GPs will remain, they cannot sustain the 24/7, 365-day coverage required to keep the obstetrics unit open. The resignation, coupled with the lack of proper remuneration for doctors, puts the future of the program in jeopardy.
“The biggest and most immediate challenge is the funding gap for family physicians providing obstetrical coverage,” she said.
“If the mechanism for paying these GPs doesn’t improve, we may lose them too.”
Sensenbrenner Hospital has submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Health, requesting an alternate payment plan for its GPs to ensure they are adequately compensated for the demands of providing obstetrical services.
Kwapis pointed out that while GPs are paid for deliveries, there is no recognition of the burden of 24-hour availability combined with their other medical responsibilities.
“There are several similar agreements in Ontario for GPs providing specialized services like anesthesia,” she said.
“But we don’t have that here for obstetrics, and we need it urgently.”
Without this alternate payment plan, the hospital may also lose the ability to attract locum physicians — temporary doctors who travel to Kapuskasing to fill gaps in care. Kwapis explained that although locum physicians can be reimbursed for travel expenses, there is no mechanism to pay them for their time, making it difficult to bring in outside help.
“The hospital has been paying locums directly out of our operational budget just to keep the program running,” she said.
“But this is money that isn’t supposed to be used for doctor services, and we can’t continue to do this much longer. Our hospital, like many others in Ontario, is already in a very challenging financial position.”
The potential closure of the obstetrics unit has already led to risky situations, Kwapis said. With no alternative nearby, women in labour have faced perilous journeys to other hospitals. There have been instances where labouring mothers delivered in ambulances or emergency room bathrooms.
“There was a case of a delivery inside a taxi … We’ve had some really close calls, but fortunately, no loss of life yet,” she said. “But that could change at any time.”
The lack of a stable obstetrical program has also created hardships for pregnant women in nearby communities like Hearst.
Hearst’s obstetrics unit closed in June 2023. Many women are now told to relocate at 38 weeks of pregnancy, often to Timmins or Thunder Bay, Kwapis said.
With the winter months approaching, the situation becomes even more dire.
Roads in Northern Ontario can become impassable due to snowstorms, making it difficult, if not impossible, for women in labour to travel to distant hospitals, Kwapis said.
EMS and air medical services are often unwilling to transport women in active labour, increasing the likelihood of dangerous situations for mothers and babies.
Kwapis emphasized that if the hospital can secure stable funding for its obstetrical services, it could become a regional hub, accepting patients from communities like Hearst.
Without the necessary staffing and financial support this goal remains out of reach.
“We’re willing to be a regional hub, but we need stability first,” Kwapis said.
“Until then, women are forced to take risks or relocate, which isn’t always possible.”
Kwapis said Sensenbrenner Hospital is asking the Ministry of Health to expedite their proposal and provide interim funding to keep the obstetrics unit open.
“We understand that due process is needed,” she said.
“But we don’t have years to wait. This is extremely urgent. The safety of mothers and babies in Northern Ontario is at stake.”
