Petitions seem to be very popular around Grand Forks these days. Although the petition to halt the water meter installation project failed to stop that from happening, local residents are getting behind a petition to keep Dr. Ajaero in the Boundary.
The petition was started by Teresa Rickman, a patient of Dr. Ajaero, who began by gathering signatures at the post office. The petition has also gone online at change.org for those who aren’t able to get out to the post office in Grand Forks.
“I just started going to him,” said Rickman. “In my appointment, I said, ‘I’m so glad I found a doctor who can help me,’ and then I found out he was leaving.”
Rickman started the petition titled, “We, Dr. Henry Ajaero’s patients, want Dr. Ajaero to stay as a permanent physician in Grand Forks, B.C. without prejudices.”
Rickman said Ajaero agreed to the petition and she began to post information on Facebook pages such as the Grand Forks Buy and Sell. The thread on the Buy and Sell immediately became very popular, receiving over 80 posts of support for the doctor.
The petition currently has 576 signatures. Rickman says when she receives 1,000 signatures she will be sending copies to the Ministry of Health, the administration at the Kootenay Boundary Hospital, and to Dr. Ajaero.
Some of the comments posted on the change.org site include: “Dr. Ajearo is a caring and knowledgeable doctor and an asset to the communities he serves. Listen to the people’s voice, we want him to stay!” and “Our small communities need doctors, they should not be made to leave people of a few prejudiced people. By the numbers of people who are signing the petition and speaking up I hope he realizes that most people in the Boundary do not judge others because of their race, religion, sexual preference. I am shocked that he would be made to feel this way.”
Interior Health has stated that they have not received any complaints of prejudice at the Grand Forks hospital nor have they received any word of any doctors from here leaving.
“I have had no word either from Dr. Ajaero or the chief of staff that he has submitted his resignation,” said Dr. Malcolm Ogborn, executive medical director for the East Kootenay/Kootenay Boundary for Interior Health. “All of that (prejudice) comes under the workplace environment policy. It’s the policy that really covers that everyone has the right to an appropriate respectful, safe workplace. Covered under those provisions of what that policy covers are any form of discrimination, not just race. Anything you can think of that causes discrimination. Effectively, it’s a zero tolerance policy.”
The Gazette made repeated calls to Dr. Ajaero’s office, but he did not return the calls.