The Saulteaux Pelly Agency Health Alliance (SPAHA) broke ground on a brand new multi-purpose health care facility in Treaty 4 territory in Saskatchewan.
The hospital will enhance primary care and mental health services throughout the three communities of Cote First Nation, Keeseekoose First Nation, and The Key First Nation.
The facility is rising on Keeseekoose First Nation and will include public health programming, palliative care, long-term care and mental health services, as well as host the Keeseekoose First Nation Community Health Centre.
“For many years, our members have asked for primary health care in our community,” said Chief Lee Ketchemonia of Keeseekoose First Nation. “The need has always been there, and it will never go away.”
More than 2,500 on-reserve and over 8,500 off-reserve members will have access to the facility, which will host 18 long-term healthcare beds, three transformational beds, and two palliative care beds, once complete.
A collaboration between the SPAHA, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, and Indigenous Services Canada is making this possible. Construction is expected to take up to 24 months to complete.
“Our Elders never wavered,” said SPAHA CEO Theodore Quewezance. “They know the importance of healthy community members. Our people’s trauma affects their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being, and access to the health system continues to be a barrier that we need to overcome.”
