Aboriginal health access centres to expand

Two northwestern Ontario Aboriginal health access centres are looking to add physicians and offer more primary and traditional care programs thanks to recently announced increases in provincial funding.
“We can add to the number of physicians providing services in the Kenora area,” said Anita Cameron, executive director of the Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe’lyewigamig Aboriginal Health Access Centre in Kenora, noting the clinic currently has six nurse practitioners and “not quite a full-time” physician. “We provide services, not only within the city of Kenora, but to the 10 surrounding First Nations in 12 different community points, so that is a fair bit of outreach and travel.”
The provincial government announced a 36 per cent increase for Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe’lyewigamig, for a total of $2,339,955 in 2012-13, and a 39 per cent increase for the Gizhewaadiziwin Aboriginal Health Access Centre in Fort Frances, for a total of $2,305,004 in 2012-13.
The funding is aimed at helping the two health centres to retain and recruit primary-care physicians, recruit up to two additional nurse practitioners and offer more primary and traditional care programs and services.
“Aboriginal health access centres play a vital role in helping Ontario’s Aboriginal community get the care they need, close to home,” said Deb Matthews, minister of Health and Long-Term Care. “This additional support for the Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe’lyewigamig Aboriginal Health Access Centre and the Gizhewaadiziwin Aboriginal Health Access Centre will ensure improved access to high-quality health care and other services for local residents.”
Cameron said about 4,000 of Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe’lyewigamig’s 9,500 registered clients are active within a given year, but they are spread out across the area and many are sicker than average with more than one health issue.
“We obviously deal with a lot of diabetes,” Cameron said. “And that disease alone causes a lot of secondary complications.”
Cameron said clinical services are provided in each member community at least once per week.
“So instead of coming to town to get medical care, you can just go to your local nursing station,” Cameron said. “But you can only take so much (equipment) on the road, so depending on how sick you are, we may have to see you at the central location because there are resources and facilities there that we can’t bring to the community. But we try to do our best and see Elders in their homes as opposed to requiring them to come out if it’s easier for them that way.”
Cameron said the home visits provide an opportunity for the health practitioners to see how their patients live.
“We are distinguished also by providing a holistic model of care that looks at the whole person, not just the one symptom they are presenting that day,” Cameron said. “You don’t get any better insight into the person than to go to see them in their own environment.”
The funding is also aimed at renovations for both health centres and an expansion at the Gizhewaadiziwin Aboriginal Health Access Centre.
“Our government is committed to building a vibrant province with opportunities for everyone — and health care is the basic building block of a fair society,” said David Zimmer, minister of Aboriginal Affairs. “We’re pleased to be supporting these two northern Aboriginal communities’ health centres, which provide services tailored to the unique needs of the populations they serve.”
Cameron said the Waasegiizhig Nanaandawe’lyewigamig renovations include better workspaces for staff, better spaces for delivering services and some specialized spaces at the 4th Avenue site.
“We’re not just about clinical services — we’ve got this huge health promotion component that I don’t think gets enough credit for what it does because we are never able to do it in our own space,” Cameron said. “So to have a public gathering space where we can have events and community kitchens is going to be really exciting.”