'Proud moment': New health centre opens in northern Manitoba

A community in northern Manitoba is celebrating its newest space to help keep its residents healthy.

The Howard Halcrow Health Centre opened its doors officially in Pimicikamak Cree Nation.

“It has been something we've been negotiating for decades and years to make this happen; there was a lot of people involved,” said Pimicikamak Chief David Monias on Friday.

“It’s a proud moment for us.”

Monias said the community previously had a nursing station for its residents, but was hoping to have a bigger facility to help ensure people receive care closer to home, rather than being flown out to Winnipeg or Thompson.

“Everything we do for our people is community-based, community-controlled, community-specific and community-determined,” he said. “So it's good to have our health centre that can actually take care of our medical needs on site as opposed to being flown out.

“Sometimes we have a hard time flying people out due to weather, due to the flight schedules, and it's a life and death situation.”

The Howard Halcrow Health Centre will be staffed by nearly 200 people and includes services such as dentistry, x-rays, optometry, an emergency department and diagnostic testing.

The grand opening was attended by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and Premier-designate Wab Kinew, who made his first visit outside Winnipeg in his new role.

In a statement, Kinew said the government was committed to improving birthing and dialysis services in the community.