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mu ML TO 0 M Mitons Independent Pharmacy *Free De ivery *A DugPans Acceped *Written Drug Inormaton Avadlbl About Vour Ho~th 70 Main St.E 875-42 A Metroland Community Newspaper Vol. 142 No. 48 Friday, August 31, 2001 32 Pages ~487jneAve $ 1.00 (GST tncluded) Hospital obstetrics closing, again By FANNIE SUNSHINE The Champion As of October 1, babies won't be delivered at Milton District Hospital (MDH) until next summer. Dr. Sandy Sharmna, the sole obstetrician at the hospital for the past two years, announced yester- day he's unable to continue providing obstetrical care at the Milton site due to personai reasons. He said that an insurmounitable workload and excessive demnands have taken a heavy toîl on him personally. "To maintain this pace, 1 would be heading for physician burnout," Dr. Sharmna said in a press release. Although he will continue to provide prenatal care at MDH, his current obstetricai. patients will deliver as Oakville-Trafalgar Memnorial Hospital (OTMI-), where he's part of the obstetrical on-cati roster for the Maternai Child Programn. "We value Dr. Sharma's contribution over the past two years and recognize the demands of pro- vidmng sole obstetrical coverage are not sustainable indefmnitely," said Dr. Marion King, associate chief of staff at MDH. "We wiIl do everything possible to support him in providing quality obstetrical service to the coin- munity." The arrivai of a new obstetrician is scheduled for the sommer of 2002 and on-site services are expected to be reinstated. Taking effect October 1, Dr. Sbarmna's office will rcmamn open athte MDH site and he will stili pro- vide gynecological procedures, however some emergency services may be referred to the OTMH site after hours. Regular gynecological surgery will continue at the MIDH site. "The hospital remains commnitted to ensurmng continued access to quality obstetricai care," said John Oliver, president and CEO of Haiton Health Care Services. "While we regret the disruption to the present obstetricai service at this time, we are looking forward to a retum to full-service in the somimer of 2002." Maternity ward nurses as MIDH will be re- assigned to different units as both MIDH and OTMIl, said Cindy McDonell, chief operating officer at MDH. "I want to make clear Dr. Sharma is still Milton's obstetrician, he'll just be delivering (babies) in Oakville," she said. The matemnity ward previously shut down tem- porarily in 1997 aller obstetrician Dr. Sushil Suppal Idf the hospital. wSteamiy weekend ahead Local collectors of classic antique tractors and engines are putting the finishing touches on their equipment as they get ready for the biggest annual exhibition in Ontario - the 41 st annual Steam- Ers Show. The four-day show, which opens today, wiII be held at the Milton Fair Grounds ail week- end. Here, HoIIy Diamanti, 8, sits atop her Kilbride grandparents Alex and June Sutherland's 1957 Minneapolis-Moline 445 tractor while older brother Bradley, il, cleans up the front tire. Minneapolic-Moline wili be one of dozens of manufacturera featured in Steam-Era parades Saturday, Sunday and Monday at 4 p.m. Admission to the event costs $5 for aduits and $1 for children 12 years of age and under. Photo by GRAHAM PAINE Comment........ 6 M&E.........il 1 Dateine ....... 17 Sports ......23-25 Classifiled ... .26-28 1 à-m . AI und