Aboriginal Healing, Modern Medicine To Be Offered Under One Roof At Pioneering $7-Million Health Centre
December 2, 2008
PINE FALLS – Manitoba will develop a new, $7.2-million primary health-care centre at the Pine Falls Health Complex, uniting traditional Aboriginal healing practices and modern medicine in an expanded, state-of-the-art setting, Health Minister Theresa Oswald, acting Aboriginal and northern affairs minister Eric Robinson and Healthy Living Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross announced today.“Working with Aboriginal elders and advisors, we will create a facility that offers the best of both modern medicine and traditional Aboriginal teachings,” Oswald said. “We are committed to offering the very best medical care we can while honouring traditional practices and our province’s Aboriginal heritage.”
Currently, primary health-care services in the area are provided in a small space in the Pine Falls Health Complex. A new 16,000-square-foot expansion of the Pine Falls Health Complex will include an Aboriginal healing centre and will be built as an extension of the health complex to provide bright, modern facilities that will improve patient privacy and working conditions for health providers, said Oswald.
“This inclusive new primary health-care centre will be tailored to serve the people of the Blue Water district including First Nations communities,” said Robinson. “We are moving forward in partnership with community leaders to ensure the facility reflects their cultures, making the new centre a place where traditions and the health-care system connect.”
Robinson noted the lower east side of Lake Winnipeg has traditionally been a place of healing, rich in natural medicines harvested by indigenous peoples for centuries. The area has come to be known as a focal point of spirituality and traditional healing.
The centre will be designed to reflect Aboriginal culture including:
· a place where Aboriginal approaches to palliative care can be offered,
· a place for traditional ceremony and smudging including a place where a sacred fire could be lit,
· kitchen facilities where families can prepare traditional foods and medicines for their loved ones in hospital, and
· a place of education on Aboriginal history and teachings around healing and wellness.
“Health promotion, care for chronic illnesses and other primary-care services are a critical part of our health-care system,” said Irvin-Ross. “A health-care centre is most effective when it reflects the needs of the community it serves and we’re achieving that goal in Powerview-Pine Falls.”
The Aboriginal healing centre was developed in consultation with local First Nation leaders.
“This expansion of the Pine Falls Health Complex marks a true partnership between First Nations and the provincial government,” said Sagkeeng First Nation Chief Donavan Fontaine. “This project is a positive step forward in the spirit of unity and co-operation. Recognition and inclusion of our traditions, culture and heritage in the redeveloped facility will be widely embraced by First Nations in the region. I commend the provincial government and the North Eastman Health Association.”
“Our top priority is to build a facility that will meet the health-care needs of the people in our region,” said Jim Hayes, chief executive officer of the North Eastman Health Association. “It will be a true reflection of the community’s commitment to health and healthy living because it has been planned in consultation with the people.”
The redeveloped centre will be an environmentally sustainable facility. The expansion will incorporate a number of green design elements to attain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver status. The redeveloped space will also include physiotherapy services, overnight accommodations for on‑call staffing and a multipurpose room.
The ministers noted that development of the new health centre is consistent with the community development recommendations of the Promises to Keep status report.
Construction is expected to begin by the end of 2009.
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