Rallies are being held on a daily basis now in areas of the province such as New Wes Valley and Bonavista to bring attention to healthcare closures in the area.

The protests began in Bonavista, and are now being organized in other communities heading into central as residents grapple with the challenges such closures bring.

Bonavista resident Leanne Prince, who owns a salon and spa, says they hear about the impacts of the situation from people all the time.

She says they had a woman in the salon who recently lost her grandfather in Bonavista, and because the hospital wasn’t open at the time they had to carry him to Clarenville just to pronounce him dead.

Physician shortages are something being dealt with across the country, but that’s no excuse according to Prince.

She says government needs to “pull up the boot straps” and get things done.

She wonders why measures weren’t put in place before this, saying government waited for the system to crumble first. She says she was promised a phone call from the Premier for an update weeks ago, and hasn’t heard back yet.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Community Services say the Minister has been informed by Eastern health that the majority of the shifts at Bonavista Peninsula Health Centre have been covered for August, and they are diligently working on the few shifts that are outstanding.