The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority is working with Grace Hospital to ensure that patients get the care they need after two more doctors resigned from the critical-care unit, effectively halving its number of physicians.
The doctors' departures are the latest addition to the controversy over an 84-year-old man on life support.
The case of Samuel Golubchuk is set for court in mid-September, and until then, doctors at Winnipeg's Grace Hospital have been ordered to continue treating the elderly man.
Mr. Golubchuk has been on life support since November, and has a feeding tube and a ventilator.
Earlier this month, Anand Kumar said he wouldn't accept rotations at Grace Hospital that involved providing care to Mr. Golubchuk, calling further treatment, such as surgically hacking away at skin ulcers, tantamount to "torture."
Yesterday, a lawyer involved in the case confirmed ICU director Bojan Paunovic and specialist David Easton have also declined shifts at the hospital.
Mr. Golubchuk's family lawyer, Neil Kravetsky, said Dr. Kumar and Dr. Paunovic had filed letters earlier this month, while Dr. Easton informed the family in writing last week.
According to court documents, chief medical officer Elizabeth Cowden expressed concern that the ICU could be forced to close if other physicians followed Dr. Kumar's lead and resigned.
She said in an affidavit that it would be difficult to recruit specialists to the hospital's rotations because many physicians would feel that providing medical treatment in this situation would go against their professional ethics.
But Heidi Graham, a spokeswoman for the Winnipeg Health Region says critical-care doctors from the city's other hospitals are being asked to take on shifts to support Grace Hospital's three remaining doctors on the unit.
She declined comment on Mr. Golubchuk's care, saying the matter is before the court.
Dr. Kumar also declined comment yesterday.
