The Ministry of Health operates the Central Public Health Laboratory in
Toronto and 11 Regional Public Health Laboratories across Ontario. The
approximately 400 technologists, administrative staff, laboratory attendants and
scientists are represented by OPSEU. During the height of the Walkerton tragedy,
lab staff played a vital role in the response to the crisis. They showed
exemplary dedication and commitment, working long hours to analyze the specimens
that were sent in by health units and doctors.
The following article was written by an OPSEU member who is a technologist at
one of the labs:
The facts of the Walkerton tragedy are well known to everyone. Drinking
water contaminated by E. coli 0157:H7 caused seven deaths and the illness of
over two thousand people in Walkerton. Many of them were children and they
continue to face serious long-term consequences to their health. The health
care system was faced with a crisis of enormous magnitude, and among the
thousands of health care workers who responded to this challenge were the
medical lab technologists of the Public Health Laboratory (PHL).
The PHL lab tests are rarely in the spotlight and the public is seldom
aware of their role in the health care system, but the technologists of the
PHL lab played a vital and crucial role in the response to the E. coli
outbreak in Walkerton.
During this difficult time, specimen numbers increased astronomically,
without a significant increase in staff complement. The statistics alone speak
for themselves. In response to a daily battle to rapidly identify and inform
the health units and doctors involved, inordinate amounts of overtime were put
in seven days a week, week after week. Stereotyping, pulse-field gel had to be
done immediately to confirm E. coli 0157:H7.
In order to handle the extra workload, technologists had to maintain their
professional competence and composure under the most difficult and stressful
of circumstances. Another factor adding to the stress was the litigious aspect
of the outbreak. The legal implications of every test done were enormous, in
view of the great number of lawsuits being launched. Meticulous and time
consuming record keeping was essential. All of this created a draining and
emotional impact on technologists.
The volume of water samples rose sharply and, apart from testing them,
technologists were faced with the task of dealing with constant inquiries from
the public concerning the quality of their water. Responding to the public's
concerns, working hand-in-hand with local public health units, and dealing
with new water regulations that changed almost weekly, became an important
part of the technologist's job.
Hospitals and other health institutes seeking help while working on their
own isolates from the outbreak, also required the technologists attention. PHL
techs were an important and vital source of information in the diagnosis and
treatment in these life and death situations.
Truly, lab techs were the unsung heroes of the Walkerton outbreak. In
recognition of their work, the staff of the Central Public Health Laboratory
and the 11 Regional Public Health Laboratories have been notified that they
are recipients of the ACE (Achievement, Excellence, Commitment) Award from the
Ontario government.
Staff at the Regional Public Health Laboratory in London worked
tremendously hard throughout the crisis. At the Central Public Health
Laboratory in Toronto, co-workers of Jeannine Labelle, technologist I, cite
her for special mention. Labelle was responsible for co-ordinating the testing
for E. coli 0157:H7 and campylobacter. She worked 175 hours of overtime in a
five-week period last May and June. As well, there were 33 bacteriology
technologists, who are members of OPSEU, and 2 members of AMAPCEO who worked
approximately 35 hours of overtime over a 10-day period.
