A newly established community group aims to lobby for more health services in Merritt after a stakeholder meeting held back in June identified a list of priorities from the public.
At a follow-up meeting held last Thursday (Nov. 2) seven Merritt residents agreed to form the steering committee that will set the priorities and manage the operations of a local health care society.
“Instead of complaining, I think it’s time Merritt said we want a voice back in our own affairs and do what is possible, understand what isn’t possible, [and] work with [the] Interior Health [Authority],” city councillor Kurt Christopherson said at Thursday’s meeting, which he helped organize.
Christopherson and fellow councillors Diana Norgaard and Linda Brown attended the meeting, which drew 10 people to the civic centre.
The three councillors intend to be part of the society in some capacity as long as it doesn’t create a conflict of interest with their duties on city council, Norgaard told the Herald.
The seven other residents are acting as interim directors and will have their next meeting in January, with the hope of adding new members to the society.
The society will explore a number of health care issues, such as the need to expand the number of specialists who visit Merritt, the establishment of a walk-in clinic, detox centre and localized prenatal care.
