The plight of the First Steps Early Pregnancy Clinic in Kamloops made the floor of the B.C. Legislature this afternoon.

As part of Tuesday morning’s Question Period, Kamloops South Thompson MLA – and BC United House Leader – Todd Stone pressed the government on what actions the NDP was taking to ensure First Steps can maintain its operations.

“Will the Premier remove the funding uncertainty today so that there is no disruption to the critical prenatal services that are desperately needed by hundreds of expectant mothers in Kamloops and surrounding “communities,” Stone said.

“Will the Premier today solve this funding issue for this critical obstetrics clinic in Kamloops?”

The First Steps Early Pregnancy Triage Clinic was opened in September as a pilot project, with $200,000 in seed money from Interior Health. That money is due to run out March 31.

“We’re working hard to ensure that people of Kamloops get the care they deserve,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said in response to Stone’s comments. “We’ve made very significant investments as the member will know in increasing doctors and nurses and healthcare services in Kamloops and we’re going to continue to do so.”

“What the government has done is take action as we did last year, and as we continue to do to bring more doctors, to bring more nurse practitioners, to bring more nurses and health sciences professionals, to add services in Kamloops and everywhere else. That is what we’ll continue to do in this case.”

Speaking to Radio NL last week, First Steps clinic lead Joanna Norman said that negotiations with Interior Health have been on-going.

“We are still booking people through till the end of April at this point; our fingers are crossed the funding will come through,” Norman said. “Everything I hear from Interior Health, the Ministry of Health, and the people I chat to are very positive, supportive and people do see the need for this.”

Stone also noted that there were similar funding issues and uncertainty with the Thompson Region Family Obstetrics Clinic in Kamloops last year.

“Same issues, same minister, same robotic answer,” Stone added. “Since the First Steps Early Pregnancy Clinic opened, nearly 400 expectant mothers from Kamloops and the surrounding communities have been able to receive the prenatal care that they need.”

“This is all at risk for hundreds of expectant moms moving forward because the NDP government will not solve this funding issue today.”