'We needed this': Big funding boost for local Indigenous-led health care center

A small ceremony was held inside the Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Centre (SOAHAC) in Muncey, Ont. Wednesday, as much needed funding was announced.

MPP for Elgin-Middlesex-London Rob Flack announced that $613,000 in funding will go toward the Chippewa of the Thames SOAHAC and $807,000 for the Newbury location.

SOAHAC said the new boost in funding will provide primary care services to more clients across the region and expand services in Newbury to be open five days per week, making care more accessible to the community.

"We needed this because in 2010 this was just a shell,” said Martha Albert, SOAHAC board member.

SOAHAC is an access centre that provides innovative, Indigenous-informed care to First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities in southwestern Ontario.

"Access of care I think is the biggest thing. It’s hard for our clients to get here, let alone to get anywhere else, so I think being here on the reserve is good for our clients who have trouble with transportation,” said Mackenzie Taylor-Noah, a registered nurse with SOAHAC.

The primary care and dental clinic serves a number of people from the surrounding First Nations communities. SOAHAC said 68 per cent of clients need to access three or more service providers to support their needs, and on average, clients have 13 encounters with the SOAHAC team each year.

This increase in team-based primary care will allow more patients to access crucial programs and services while maintaining a high standard of care.

"This is our staff, and every funding announcement every dollar we get is going to go into them, because they are SOAHAC, and they provide the care and they make the difference in the community,” said Dave Remy, director of client care.

"I think the rates of diabetes in First Nations’ population is quite high, so we really need to get in there and do our work to prevent things as well as kind of manage things before they get out of control," added Mandy Morrison, SOAHAC’s registered dietician.

Wednesday’s announcement means there will be an increase in team based primary care that will allow more patients to access crucial programs and services.