The Town of Niverville recently welcomed a visit from Manitoba’s Health Minister, Uzoma Asagwara, along with representatives from Southern Health, whose main goal was to have a look at Niverville's Open Health clinic; a stop local leaders say was a while in the making.
Mayor Myron Dyck explained how the meeting came together.
“We have sponsored the Ministers’ Dinner, this is now the third year, and part of what we’re doing at those dinners is putting out an invitation to those Ministers to come to our community.”
Dyck continues, “So, as soon as the election happened, we were already targeting the key ministers to come. The Minister of Health was one of those. We’re grateful they were able to visit our town.”
Town Councillor Nathan Dueck, who also serves as president of Niverville Healthcare Services Inc., said the visit was productive.
“The people that attended the afternoon gathering, at the end of August, were myself, Sheyna Andries, our director, along with quite the entourage from Southern Health, including the new CEO, and of course the Minister and their aides,” he said. “One of the biggest wins of our time together was an acknowledgement from Southern Health, or even just a verbal understanding, that we’re all in this together and Niverville is willing to commit the time, effort, and resources to grow healthcare.”
Dueck said that point hit home with the team from Southern Health.
“We share space in our building, but we’re also looking for ways to move forward as a community to lessen the burden on the system. The doctor shortages are extremely high. Even here in Niverville, there’s a waitlist, last I heard, around 1,100 people.”
That shortage is something Mayor Dyck hears about often.
“The number one complaint from residents when they talk about the clinic is just access,” he said. “They’re frustrated with not being able to have access.”
Dueck added that many residents believe that because it's their clinic, they should have access anytime.
“Yes, that's partially true,” he explained. “It is a public clinic, with doctors from across the region. And those doctors may or may not live in the community. And even though you might not get your ideal doctor, the important thing is to get into the system and find yourself a doctor.”
He admitted that, as someone who didn’t have a doctor for years, he understands the struggle.
“It’s extremely important to help people navigate healthcare. A lot of people simply don’t know how.”
Dyck said the long-term challenge is finding doctors willing to live and work in the community.
“It takes a while for people to have faith in a doctor who’s only here (at Niverville's Open Health Clinic) one day a week or less,” he said. “Our population keeps growing, but our healthcare system hasn’t kept pace. I’ll never know why we don’t index healthcare workers to population. To me, it just sounds so simple.”
Despite those hurdles, the clinic itself is expanding. Dueck said renovations and expansion of the clinic are nearly complete.
“We’re ideally targeting October of this year to open up,” he said. “With that, we're going to need more doctors. So, currently we have 12 providers in Niverville, and we’re looking to recruit another two to six by the end of the year. I’m confident we’ll find a way.”
He also confirmed the new space is being equipped and furnished.
“All the equipment for the four new offices is already ordered, and we’re finalizing things like furniture. The Niverville Foundation helped donate a Barometric Scale for the clinic, for which we are grateful.”
Both leaders say the Minister’s visit was an important step toward making sure Niverville’s healthcare needs are heard at the provincial level.