Toronto – Increasing outbreaks of superbugs and recent ward closures at southern Ontario hospitals have prompted the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) to begin a province-wide mobile hospital room tour to demonstrate how vital cleaners are to controlling hospital infection rates and to activate a 1-888 hospital-acquired infection hotline.
Hospital-acquired infections are the fourth largest killer in Canada. Yet the provincial Liberal government is still refusing to mandate that hospitals publicly report rates of acquired infections. In the U.S., six states have mandatory reporting of hospital-acquired infections and legislation is pending in 29 more.
Meticulous cleaning of hospitals is key to containing superbug infections, which killed 2,000 Canadians last year. The Ontario health minister has forced hospitals to find “efficiencies” by cutting hospital cleaning staff among others.
CUPE will announce the 1-888 hospital infection hotline number and provide a visual demonstration on effective hospital cleaning using a mobile hospital room display on Monday, June 13, 2005, on the front lawn of Queen’s Park.
Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU/CUPE) President, Michael Hurley
Mike Rotundo, CUPE 1097, Niagara area hospital worker
John Mansfield, CUPE 1097, Health and Safety Representative
Media Conference/Mobile Hospital Room Tour Kick-off
A mobile hospital room display will be set up outside the main door of Queen’s Park to demonstrate the effective and thorough cleaning required to kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Front lawn — Queen’s Park**
**Rain location: Hart House, East Common Room (on the main floor)
University of Toronto
Monday, June 13, 2005 — 11:00 a.m.
-30-
For information, please contact:
Michael Hurley, President, OCHU/CUPE - (416) 884-0770
Stella Yeadon, CUPE Communications - (416) 578-8774