The crisis in women’s health care across British Columbia’s Interior intensified Monday as Health Minister Josie Osborne faced pointed questions in the legislature following an unprecedented letter from 130 obstetrician-gynecologists warning that maternity and gynecology services are “untenable and unsafe.”
The letter, sent to Osborne and Interior Health CEO Sylvia Weir on October 17, expresses support for the seven Kamloops OB-GYNs who have all submitted their resignations from Royal Inland Hospital, citing burnout, unsafe workloads, and years of unheeded warnings.
The physicians — representing hospitals across the province from Victoria to Prince George — accuse the province of failing to provide sustainable solutions for women’s health care and say they will not participate in temporary coverage plans or supervise new hires under current conditions. “This decision reflects deep and ongoing concerns about maternity care, gynecology services, and women’s health in our region,” the letter reads. “Their collective resignation is a last resort, prompted by untenable and unsafe working conditions and the lack of meaningful response from the health authority and government.”
Minister Faces Grilling in Question Period
During a heated Question Period in the B.C. Legislature Monday, Kamloops Centre MLA Peter Milobar pressed the Health Minister to lay out a concrete plan and timeline to address what he called a “looming collapse” in OB-GYN care. “Hundreds of Kamloops residents, women, men and children, all rose up this weekend to make their voices heard about the critical shortage and crisis in OB-GYN services,” Milobar said. “Can the Minister explain to this House, and to the people of Kamloops, what exactly the plan and timeline is to solve this crisis?”
Milobar emphasized that the support of 130 OB-GYNs for the Kamloops physicians signals a broader provincial acknowledgment of longstanding issues. “The medical professionals — the doctors, the nurses, everyone involved with OB-GYN services, not just in Kamloops but across the province — have been saying the same thing for years,” he said. “They’re finally acknowledging it publicly, and the government needs to take this seriously and come up with systemic changes based on their advice.”
In response, Minister Osborne acknowledged the resignations and said Interior Health is “working closely” with Kamloops physicians on a transition plan. “Anybody who is expecting a child, has an imminent birth coming, or is facing an at-risk pregnancy should always present at the Royal Inland Hospital to receive care,” Osborne said. “Interior Health continues to work with this group of physicians… and is talking with up to 12 physicians who may choose to move to the Kamloops region.”
Opposition Criticizes Government Response
Milobar shot back, citing the new letter from 130 OB-GYNs, which explicitly criticizes the government’s plan to recruit a dozen new specialists. “The provincial OB-GYN community is small and closely connected,” Milobar said, quoting the letter. “They are alarmed by the short-sighted reliance on locum physicians as stopgaps and the unrealistic plan to recruit 12 new OB-GYNs to a community where current staff have been unsupported and exposed to unsafe working conditions.”
He added that local OB-GYNs and their colleagues have repeatedly explained why these proposed stopgap measures won’t work. “They also explain the pressures this is going to create on the system overall — not just in Kamloops, but in surrounding hospitals all the way down to the Lower Mainland,” he said. “To this point, the government has refused to make any of the changes suggested over the last several years. Women’s health needs to function and perform at a high level, especially at a tertiary hospital like Royal Inland, which is also one of the busiest trauma centers in B.C.”
Milobar also warned of the real-world consequences for patients. “It’s not just obstetrics — women who need gynecological procedures, cancer biopsies, surgeries, all these services are at risk,” he said. “Patients may be forced to travel further, face delays, or avoid care altogether because they fear they won’t have access.”
‘Women Deserve Better,’ Says Milobar
Outside the legislature, Milobar said the government’s response shows a disregard for women who rely on OB-GYNs for safe, compassionate care. “Women deserve better,” he said in a statement. “The Minister didn’t listen to the seven OB-GYNs in Kamloops — maybe she’ll finally listen to the 130 OB-GYNs and the hundreds of residents who rallied this weekend demanding action.”
Opposition Health Critic Dr. Anna Kindy added that the problem is spreading beyond Kamloops. “This isn’t just about Kamloops — it’s about every woman in B.C. who deserves safe, local, reliable care,” she said. “We’re seeing a domino effect of healthcare services collapsing, and a government pretending it’s fine. It’s not fine.”
Broader Health Care Strain Across Interior Health
The crisis in Kamloops is unfolding as other Interior communities face similar turmoil. Four psychiatrists resigned from Vernon Jubilee Hospital last week, and pediatric services in Kelowna have also come under strain.
Kelowna Centre MLA Kristina Loewen questioned the Minister about whether she would launch an independent review of Interior Health. “We have a retention problem,” Loewen said. “First the pediatric ward in Kelowna, next the OB-GYNs in Kamloops, and now psychiatrists in Vernon. Families are losing access to care. Frontline workers are burning out, and the Minister of Health is still pretending it’s under control.”
Osborne said a broader review of B.C.’s health authorities is already underway, focused on redirecting administrative spending toward frontline care. “It is no secret the health care system is under strain,” she said. “We need to do everything we can to support every single physician, nurse, and allied health professional out there who is working their heart out to support people in this province.”
Physicians Warn of ‘Domino Effect’
In their letter, the OB-GYNs warn that the collapse of Kamloops’ maternity hub will have ripple effects throughout the province, increasing surgical wait times and disrupting care for high-risk pregnancies. “When OB-GYNs are undervalued, so too are women and their health across B.C.,” the letter states.
The group’s leaders — including Dr. Chelsea Elwood, Vice President of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of B.C., and past president Dr. Stephen Kaye — call on the government to “acknowledge systemic failures” and “work in good faith with the Kamloops OB-GYNs to find a sustainable solution.”
Community Rallies Outside Royal Inland Hospital
On Saturday, a large crowd gathered outside Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops to draw attention to the growing maternity care crisis. Residents of all ages — from concerned parents to local advocates — held signs and chanted slogans in support of the hospital’s overworked OB-GYNs, signaling widespread alarm about the future of women’s health in the region.
“The community’s concern is real,” Milobar said. “Pregnant women are understandably nervous, especially with high-risk pregnancies. But it’s not just obstetrics — the full range of gynecological care is at risk if these systemic issues aren’t addressed.”
The protest was organized by Maternity Matters Kamloops, a grassroots group formed to highlight that the challenges facing maternity care extend beyond medical staff to the broader community. Attendees expressed solidarity with the seven OB-GYNs at RIH.
What’s Next
Interior Health has said it is working with the provincial government to stabilize services and recruit new specialists.
The Kamloops OB-GYNs’ resignations are expected to take effect in the coming months, raising fears of service interruptions in early 2026.
“For years, doctors and nurses have tried to get the government’s attention behind closed doors,” Milobar said. “That hasn’t worked. It’s incumbent on us — elected officials and the community alike — to continue raising our voices and demand long-term solutions. Every day this government delays, another specialist walks away. Women across B.C. are watching, and they deserve to know their health and safety come first.”
Read the full letter from 130 OB-GYNs to Interior Health CEO Sylvia Weir here.
