IGNACE – It’s important for Ignace-area children and youth to get the care they need when they need it, in Ignace, Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford said Tuesday as he announced major new funding for pediatric services at the community’s health-care hub.
The province has committed $536,723 in “additional annualized base funding” to enhance services and “expand programming and offerings benefiting more children and families than ever before” at the Mary Berglund Community Health Centre Hub, Rickford said.
“Today is another example of the investments we are making to improve access to top-quality care in the North, and we look forward to the positive impact this will have on local children, youth, and their families,” he added.
A news release from Rickford’s office said the new funding will be used to, among other things, hire an additional social worker and hire an early childhood development specialist.
Heidi West, the health centre’s executive director, said the extra support from the province “will have a tremendous impact on children and their families.
“The pediatric funding that we received this year has been very exciting for our community and the team here at the health centre,” she said.
“It’s enabled us to do some quick planning and expand a lot of the pediatric services that we offer.”
The health centre is “working towards bringing pediatricians, clinical psychology and a lot of exciting specialties and programs in general to the community here,” she said.
Located near the corner of Highway 599 and the Trans-Canada Highway, the Berglund health centre delivers a wide range of services in primary care, physiotherapy, breast cancer screening and more. It can be reached at 807-934-2251.
