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The Manitoba government, in partnership with the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre of Winnipeg Inc. (AHWC), has launched a one-year pilot project offering a mobile primary health-care clinic to underserved populations, Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced today.

“We know that people sometimes struggle to see a doctor or get regular check-ups when they are in precarious situations,” said Asagwara. “Too often, health needs go unaddressed, get worse, and folks end up having to visit an emergency department. We’re pleased to work with the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre to offer a mobile primary-care clinic focused on offering basic health services in a culturally safe and accessible format. This means if you’re feeling sick you can get health care right away, before it becomes serious, and we can put you on a path for long-term support so you can live a healthier life.”

The van will be operated by the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre of Winnipeg Inc. and will meet the primary health-care needs of underserved populations including those who are unhoused or precariously housed. The van’s team of physicians, nurses and support workers will set up at pre-determined locations to provide primary care including tending to immediate and ongoing health issues like sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections or assisting with chronic disease management. Staff will connect individuals to wrap-around social supports, harm reduction and mental health services.

“The Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre of Winnipeg, in collaboration with the provincial government of Manitoba and Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, is pleased to launch the Mobile Health Care and Wellness Clinic, which will head out into the community Tuesdays through Saturdays to offer primary care from an Indigenous-led perspective,” said Della Herrera, executive director, Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre of Winnipeg Inc. “The Mobile Health Care and Wellness Clinic is a direct response to the voices of the community who have called for an alternate model of care to address their health needs. Our clinic will provide a multi-disciplinary team not only of a physician and nurse, but will also include a mental health crisis counsellor, an Indigenous social planner and peers offering a holistic approach to health. This endeavour is long overdue and will provide services that focus on addressing the needs all those who experience inequitable access to health care.”

Funding of $271,000 for the mobile care van was announced in December 2023 as part of the Manitoba HIV Program and an additional $957,000 was included in Budget 2024. Given rising HIV and STBBI rates, the government is taking steps to increase access to testing and treatment, noted the minister. The government recently announced expanded coverage for HIV medication.

For more information about the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre, visit https://ahwc.ca/.