A Hospital for Dawson!
It was announced April 9th that a hospital will be built in Dawson. That’s what I call great news!
This initiative really recognizes the potential Dawson has for becoming a service centre for our region.
Here’s the press release:
FOR RELEASE #09-095
April 9, 2009
New Hospital Planned for Dawson City
WHITEHORSE Minister of Health and Social Services Glenn Hart and Klondike MLA Steve Nordick today announced the start of a process to build a new hospital in Dawson City. This announcement follows the signing of a letter of intent with the Yukon Hospital Corporation to oversee the construction of the new facility and then to assume its operation.
“I am pleased to be working together with the Yukon Hospital Corporation in providing increased access to health care in Dawson City,Hart said.
“The mandate of the corporation is to operate one or more hospitals and continue to provide acute care services to all Yukoners. We are excited about providing hospital services for Dawson City and the surrounding area,Hospital board chair Craig Tuton said.
The next step in the process will be to complete a functional assessment of the community’s acute care needs. The government and the Yukon Hospital Corporation will host community meetings to discuss the needs of the community. Meetings will include health centre staff, other health professionals in the community, the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation as well as community stakeholders.
“This government clearly recognizes the need for a new facility in Dawson City to replace the aging health centre. Our intent now is to build a hospital to serve the people of the Dawson district that would be operated by the Yukon Hospital Corporation, Nordick said.
“The government has committed that current staff will be guaranteed employment either in the new hospital or with the Yukon government, Hart said.
This is great news.
I just hope that it happens a little quicker, and does not turn into a fiasco, like the Watson Lake hospital construction has.