Your hospital could have ants, seriously.

Morning from Swan Valley — here's what matters in the northwest.

You know, we've all had little issues crop up. Maybe a squirrel gets into the attic on 1st Street North, or you find mice in the woodshed out by Thunder Hill. But try to imagine your local health centre, the one we rely on from Minitonas to Bowsman, having to shut down surgeries because of an "ant problem." That's what's happening in Carman right now, down south. Southern Health says surgeries are on hold indefinitely at their hospital because of a full-blown ant infestation.

### What This Means for Swan River

Now, Carman is a fair piece from us, but this story hits a little close to home in the Swan Valley. We know what it means to be a hub for health services in a remote part of the province. If something like this happened at our own Swan Valley Health Centre, the impact would be felt from Duck Mountain Provincial Park to the farthest trapper's cabin. Think about it:

* Patients needing procedures would have to travel even further, maybe all the way to Dauphin or even Winnipeg.

* Our local doctors and nurses would have their hands tied, trying to make do without proper surgical facilities.

* It highlights how critical it is to keep our own facilities in good order, especially when we're already five hours from the city.

It just reinforces that while we're self-sufficient here in Swan River, our infrastructure and services need to be rock solid. An "ant problem" might sound small, but when it impacts health care, it's anything but. We take pride in our ability to handle things ourselves, but sometimes, you realize how fragile some systems can be, even the important ones.

Beth Makarchuk, MiTL Sports Desk, Swan River.

The folks on the Morning Wire chat about these kinds of odd stories every day – you can catch them live at mornings.live.