SIOUX LOOKOUT — Officials with the Meno Ya Win Health Centre say they expect to start performing MRI scans next summer.
The hospital recently announced it has awarded contracts for the supply of the device itself, as well as for the construction of the modular building that will be attached to the existing hospital structure to house it. Construction is scheduled to start this July, with the first scans slated for August 2026.
“It's incredibly important, awarding these contracts has been a huge milestone,” Arianna Kitching, the manager of diagnostic imaging at the Meno Ya Win Health Centre told Newswatch in an interview.
“It's been lots of years of advocacy, collaboration, dedication from our team … and everybody's feeling very optimistic and proud of the impact this will have on patient care moving forward.”
Once constructed, residents won’t have to fly to Thunder Bay or Winnipeg for the scans, Kitching said, adding that, not only does the Sioux Lookout hospital treat people from the community and immediate surroundings, but also is the closest primary care facility for well over two dozen First Nations.
Those long trips for a relatively simple medical scan “can increase long wait times, travel requirements, people being away from their homes and their families and their support systems,” Kitching said.
“Having it in Sioux Lookout, where we already have the culturally-appropriate care and our (diagnostic imaging) team and our hospital itself has the resources, we'll provide better care and they'll be at least closer to home.”
GE Healthcare will supply the MRI equipment and SDI Canada was the winning contractor to construct, what a media release from the hospital called the “modular pod building for the MRI suite.” It’s expected to be about 1,650 square feet.
That addition, Kitching said, will be off the hospital’s existing diagnostic imaging wing and adjacent to the ambulatory care entrance.
In order to staff the unit, Kitching said they’re expecting to hire two additional full-time staff.
In January, the province announced $8.1 million to build and operate the new MRI suite. The community, through the hospital foundation, has already raised millions as well, as part of a $7 million fundraising campaign.
Kitching said people accessing the hospital this summer will notice work being done.
“There'll be some construction starting this summer … so there might be a lot of noise in our DI department and some moving of chairs, but I think it's all worth it in the end for this project,” she said.
“We're hoping to have more updates as we progress along.”
