Health and Community Services
Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs

October 1, 2008

Satellite Dialysis Unit Officially Opens in Happy Valley-Goose Bay

Dialysis patients in Happy Valley-Goose Bay are now availing of treatment closer to home through the new satellite dialysis unit at the Labrador Health Centre. The Honourable Ross Wiseman, Minister of Health and Community Services, was joined today by the Honourable John Hickey, Minister of Labrador Affairs; the Honourable Patty Pottle, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs; Boyd Rowe, Chief Executive Officer of Labrador-Grenfell Health; and, Mayor Leo Abbass, Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, for the official opening of the satellite dialysis unit in the Labrador Health Centre.

"We realize there are unique challenges facing dialysis patients in this region, including having to travel to the island portion of the province to receive treatment," said Minister Wiseman. "We are delighted to open this satellite dialysis unit in Labrador and are so pleased that we were able to address the concerns of the residents of this region, who have been looking forward to having this service in their community."

The Provincial Government invested $1 million to establish the new satellite unit, which will provide dialysis services for medically-stable patients in the Happy Valley-Goose Bay region. The four-station dialysis unit can accommodate up to 16 patients. The Provincial Government has also dedicated an additional $182,000 annually for the operation of the unit.

"The primary concern of the Provincial Government is the health and well-being of every person living in this province," said Minister Hickey. "This is a service that will greatly improve the quality of life for dialysis patients. The Provincial Government recognized this need and again has committed to improved health care in Labrador."

"Until recently, Aboriginal people in Labrador who required dialysis, had to travel to unfamiliar places to receive treatment," said Minister Pottle. "This dialysis unit not only provides a state-of-the-art facility, it enables families to be closer to loved ones."

This unit is part of an overall $2.9 million investment by the Provincial Government to establish three satellite dialysis units in rural locations. Over the past five years, the number of satellite dialysis units in the province has more than doubled. There are now eight satellite dialysis centres including Burin, Carbonear, Clarenville, Gander, Grand Falls-Windsor, Stephenville, St. Anthony (scheduled to re-open this fall) and Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

"In line with our mission to improve accessibility to services, we are very pleased to be able to offer dialysis in the Labrador-Grenfell Health region," said Mr. Rowe. "It has been especially gratifying, since implementing this service here at the Labrador Health Centre, to have seen four individuals who had to move from the region to access dialysis services elsewhere on the island, return to Labrador, to receive dialysis closer to their families."

"This is a great day for health care in Labrador," said Mayor Abbass. "Thanks to the opening of a satellite dialysis unit here at the Labrador Health Centre, we now have the ability to care for our loved ones at home. Patients requiring dialysis and their families truly appreciate the ability to have their treatments here in Happy Valley-Goose Bay."

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Media contacts:

Glenda Power
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 685-1741

glendapower@gov.nl.ca

John Tompkins
Director of Communications
Department of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs
709-729-1674, 728-7762

jtompkins@gov.nl.ca

 

2008 10 01                                                   10:45 a.m.
 


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