A new innovative family medicine and wellness facility launching in Neyaashiinigmiing will receive support from Bruce Power.
The Noongwa Wellness project will see the development of a new Indigenous primary care clinic focused on transforming community healthcare delivery for Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation.
Bruce Power and its funding partners have pledged $1 million over three years to the project.
Dr. Elisa Levi will serve as its inaugural physician.
"We know from the research that First Nations people have experienced a negative association with health-care facilities so we really want to re-imagine how our clients will experience care," Levi said in a media release. "As a member of this community, I have always appreciated how beautiful it is. To have a clinical experience where you’re in a room and you’re able to look out onto the landscape, rather than a very institutional setting, has shown to have benefit in decreasing anxiety, hypertension and cortisol levels."
Noongwa Wellness has actively partnered with the Grey-Bruce Ontario Health Team (GBOHT) and has successfully enrolled more than 200 patients, demonstrating strong early momentum and community uptake.
"Bruce Power and our partners understand the importance of local health care and we’re proud to support many initiatives in our surrounding communities," said James Scongack, Bruce Power’s COO and Executive Vice-President. "Noongwa Wellness will provide excellent care in a setting that honours community values and culture, and we’re excited to watch this vision come to fruition."
To learn more about the project and to help with the capital campaign, visit noongwa.ca.
