Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, midwifery began in Fort Smith, and midwifery in Fort Smith began with two midwives. And those two midwives did the majority of the births and if not all the births in Fort Smith, and ran the only midwifery program in the Northwest Territories. I don't have exact dates but we have expanded that program over the years. So midwifery expansion happened in Fort Smith to an additional nurse. Then it expanded into Hay River. And currently, they have expanded from Hay River into supporting Fort Resolution, Deninu Kue, and the Metis of that community. As of right now, we've had to suspend that service because of staffing in Hay River. There is a current vacancy there. We have just recently gotten Fort Smith, since February, back online to be able to provide births. Those two communities are very fragile, and we need to make sure that those expansions there are successful in the Northwest Territories before we can expand further. And so the choice was to put the efforts into supporting those two communities to ensuring that those communities that do not have any other choice, don't have any other options of birthing services, to ensure that those programs are stable. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Lesa Semmler on Committee Motion 8-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): Main Estimates 2024-2025, Deferral of Administrative and Support Services - Health and Social Services, Carried
In the Legislative Assembly on May 30th, 2024. See this statement in context.
Committee Motion 8-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): Main Estimates 2024-2025, Deferral of Administrative and Support Services - Health and Social Services, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
May 30th, 2024
Page 630
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