Date Published | April. 20, 2007
BY ADELLE LARMOUR

Developing a leading-edge health-care facility combining traditional First Nation and conventional Western medicine is the mandate for the Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre.

The Oji-Cree word Meno Ya Win represents health and wellness, signifying the wholeness of one’s physical, emotional, mental and spiritual being. To address the health-care and cultural needs of First Nation patients, the health centre has consolidated provincial and federally-funded hospital-based services, including long-term care and some community and mental health addiction services. It also offers its patients traditional healing, medicine, food and support programs.

“Everything we do in terms of care and services is based on recognizing the relationship of the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of people as part of the healing process,” said president and CEO Roger Walker. “It is an important part of where we come from.”

In 1997, a four-party agreement was signed between Nishnawbe-Aski Nation (NAN), the Town of Sioux Lookout, and the federal and provincial governments. Established in 2001, the health centre offers one of the most comprehensive programs of its kind in Canada.

Currently, Meno Ya Win’s health services operate from seven sites, two of which are hospitals, together totalling 41 beds. Construction of a new hospital building is scheduled to begin later this year.

The hospital serves a population of 28,750 across 385,000 square kilometers. Most of the patients are from First Nation communities and many of them rely on air transportation to access the centre.

When completed in 2009, the new hospital will have 60 beds, including 47 for acute care, five for withdrawal management and eight for complex continuing care. The physical space will increase to 139,000 sq. ft. from its present 100,000 sq. ft., according to Walker.

The facility will include long-term and ambulatory care, physician clinics and offices, mental health and addiction services, community agencies and a sweat lodge.
It will accommodate a larger dialysis centre and additional complex and continuing care capacity, as well as mammography and chiropody services. Space for computed tomography (CT) scanning has also been approved.

Hostel

This summer, construction will also begin on a 100-bed federally funded hostel to provide accommodation for the fly-in patients. It will be physically linked to the hospital for easier access.

Collaborative efforts are underway with Confederation College, Lakehead University and Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education and Training Institute, an independent post-secondary institute for NAN members, to increase the centre’s Aboriginal workforce beyond the current level of 20 per cent.

The idea to integrate traditional healing and support programs had been in discussion for many years. Unemployment, poor housing, lower education levels and transportation issues have contributed to poor health in First Nation communities and increased the demand for health-care services.

“Virtually any measure you look at, the First Nation communities in Canada and Ontario are at the extreme end of the continuum,” Walker said. “This translates into a much higher need for preventive and remedial health services, and in this particular setting, that is highly compounded by access issues.”

Because so many of the people using the hospital services are from First Nation communities, creating an integrated program based on teachings and practices unique to the Anishnaabe people of the area was a logical strategy.

“Over the last three years, with provincial support, we’ve taken that a long way down the road,” said Walker.

Staff training in cultural awareness and sensitivity is in progress.

“We’re training and developing a core of professional interpreters, and working to translate health information materials for our patients.”

Elder
The staff has also welcomed its first elder-in-residence, who will offer counselling and support.

The centre will be governed by an elders council and a 15-person board of directors appointed on a proportional representation basis: two-thirds Anishnaabe, one-third non-native.

The preparation, use and storage of traditional foods like wild game, fish and fowl is underway.

“Our menus are being revamped from top to bottom,” Walker said. “Our sources and types of food are being changed.”

Traditional healing practices will involve the use of traditional medicines, certified healers from the communities, smudging (purification with sweetgrass), healing circles, a sweat lodge and other ceremonial practices.

As the program develops, the health centre staff and the communities they serve continue to share with other schools and hospitals interested in an integrated health-care approach.

www.slmhc.on.ca