WRHA, Victoria Hospital make commitment to improve French-language services

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) and Victoria Hospital are committing to improving the health-care system for the Francophone community.

On Tuesday, the two health-care organizations signed the Ottawa Declaration in the name of a healthy Francophonie, which is a tool aimed at encouraging health-care facilities to improve their French-language services.

“For many people, navigating the health-care system can be very scary and very difficult, and this difficulty is only compounded when you’re doing so in a second language,” said Mike Nader, the CEO of the WRHA, at a news conference on Tuesday.

“As we look forward to the future on our focus of diversity, equity and inclusion, we need to support one another and seize the opportunity to change the health-care system for the better and ensure that we provide the best possible care to everyone that we serve.”

By signing this declaration and adhering to its 13 principles, the WRHA and Victoria Hospital can better meet the needs of the Francophone community and improve their health-care experience and outcomes.

The principles in the Ottawa Declaration include countering access barriers to health-care services through innovation and actively offering French-language programs and services; placing the individual at the heart of all health-care concerns in French and forging a reliable and trusting relationship; and creating and growing French-language living spaces across the country.

“These principles are meant to guide us in considering the need of minority Francophones as an essential part of our health-care plan,” Nader said.

Diane Poiron-Toupin, president of the board of directors of Santé en Français, said the declaration’s principles are in line with the WRHA’s and Victoria Hospital’s bilingual designations.

She noted that providing access to French health-care services can be difficult, but these services are “essential and crucial to the French-speaking population.”