Biweekly clinic a boost for Hay River Reserve
Cost and inconvenience of travel to town highlighted as barriers initiative helps overcome
Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Friday, November 25, 2016
K'ATLODEECHE/HAY RIVER RESERVE
Health services on the Hay River Reserve are taking a big step forward.
On Nov. 18, a ceremony was held to officially launch a clinic to be offered by Dr. Lance Crook, right, of Hay River every second Thursday at the Anne Buggins Wellness Centre. Maame Yaa, left, is the nurse in charge of clinic. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo
|
On Nov. 18, a ceremony was held to officially launch a clinic to be offered by Dr. Lance Crook of Hay River every second Thursday at the Anne Buggins Wellness Centre.
"I really believe it is an important step, for sure," said Crook to a group of people gathered to welcome him.
The clinic will be held for the first time on Dec. 1.
Crook, who is originally from Hay River, said he hopes it will help improve healthcare.
"Mostly for the fact that accessibility has been an issue," he said, explaining that, while it is easier for people in Hay River to access its health-care centre, it's not the same for people on the reserve.
Crook said many people on the reserve do not own vehicles and might have to pay for a cab to take them to Hay River.
"The costs do add up and not everybody can afford that," he said.
Crook added he is really happy to be able to offer the clinic but said the most important thing is that he feels welcome and feels a part of the community.
"I've always been happy and felt welcomed here," he said, adding that he wants to recognize that he will be serving on traditional land.
Because it is traditional land, he stressed he is only working there with the permission and the blessing of the people on the Hay River Reserve.
In comments welcoming the doctor to the reserve, K'atlodeeche Chief Roy Fabian said it was a little more than a year ago when Crook suggested the idea of a clinic when he was a resident doctor training in Hay River before he returned to the community in March.
"I'm really looking forward to this," Fabian said of the new clinic. "For me, it's good that we got a young man that grew up amongst us and knows us all, almost every one of us by name I bet, and he's going to be our doctor here."
The clinic is the result of co-operation between the Deh Cho Health and Social Services Authority, which is officially responsible for the Hay River Reserve, and the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority, which employs Crook.
"We held a meeting between all of us and we came up with a plan to begin this clinic by Dr. Crook one day every two weeks," said Fabian.
The arrangement includes Fort Providence's Maame Yaa as the nurse in charge, while she still works full-time in Fort Providence.
In addition, the clinic will include a receptionist and a couple of casual nurses.
Prior to the arrival of the clinic, the Anne Buggins Wellness Centre contained a community health representative, a homecare worker and an addictions worker.
