More health cuts have been announced for the community of Vita.

Effective March 31st, the Vita and District Health Centre's imaging services will see a change in operating hours, as they move to Mondays and Thursdays from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. Stuartburn Reeve Jim Swidersky says currently the services are offered Monday to Friday from 8 am to 4 pm.

The change in service is the result of an upcoming retirement. Diagnostic Services Manitoba (DSM) has posted a part-time permanent cross-trained X-ray technologist position to support the adjusted operating hours.

According to DSM, an average of 60 X-rays are currently performed per month at the Health Centre. Both DSM and Southern Health are confident that number can be accommodated within the adjusted hours while allowing for more efficient operations.

Swidersky says he is greatly disappointed. He fears the same thing will eventually happen to imaging as what happened to the Vita Emergency Room.

"I'm very worried that they might say for two years we'll have two days a week and after two years take it away," admits Swidersky.

Swidersky says when someone needs an X-ray on any day other than Monday or Thursday, they will now be forced to travel to Steinbach for the service. And if it means travelling by Ambulance, that is another $475 they will need to shell out of their own pocket.

"I'm very worried for the seniors or the children in town at the schools, you can't predict when you need an X-ray," he says. "One of the kids in school could fall off a play structure and get injured and come to town and then next thing you know they gotta be transferred elsewhere."

Swidersky says they can't protect health care in the community if they don't have X-ray service. And he expects it will have a domino effect, making it that much more difficult to try and attract doctors to rural Manitoba.

"We worked so hard the last number of years to secure a good team of doctors in Vita," he says. "I sure would hope that this wouldn't be a negative image on it that the doctors would leave the community."

Meanwhile, Swidersky says they have also been informed that the regional health authority will discontinue their handivan service. He notes many seniors use the service for transportation.

"It's another strike to us," he says.