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Squeeze slows Blood health centre plan |
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Written by Delon Shurtz
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Saturday, 20 December 2008 |
Although relatively quiet since meeting with Lethbridge council last month, the Blood Tribe continues to work on a plan to build a multi-million dollar medical and research centre in the city.
Officials had hoped to have a site chosen by now but, as a spokesman for the Blood Tribe department of health points out, it’s taking a little more time than expected to work through the numerous details, especially since the project is so unique.
“It’s not quite paint by numbers,” Eric Morin said.
The proposed project includes a three-storey, 33,000-square-foot facility, which would include radiological and medical imaging services, doctors’ offices, and an on-site pharmacy and laboratory. The health centre of excellence would provide local treatment for those suffering from diabetes, cardio-vascular disease and FAS, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
“This is effectively a public health facility with some additional features,” Morin said.
He stressed the health centre is not an “aboriginal project,” but a health business project that will be owned and operated by the Blood Tribe. He said the facility would add capacity to the region and provide the types of health-care services for which patients normally have to drive to Calgary. And because the facility would be marketed across Western Canada and the northwestern United States, it would boost “medical tourism” by bringing people to Lethbridge.
“Everybody is going to benefit from this.”
Morin points out that even though plans are progressing, they aren’t moving along as fast as they might had the economy not taken a nose dive. But while the “credit crunch” has slowed plans, it hasn’t derailed them and officials are working on securing financing.
The Blood Tribe wants to build the medical centre in Lethbridge, and is considering a few sites, including the University of Lethbridge. U of L officials, as well as the federal and provincial health ministries, have already indicated their support.
A tribal delegation addressed Lethbridge council last month and was granted a letter of endorsement in its bid for up to $3 million in federal funding for the project from Western Economic Diversification Canada. Only Ald. Barbara Lacey disputed the endorsement, because she said she opposes private health care and needs more information about the project.
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