For the first time in its 27-year history, the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health has expanded its primary care services, adding another doctor and nurse practitioner, along with community outreach staff to better serve Indigenous patients across Ottawa.

The clinic has received funding to accept up to 1,800 new patients from the First Nations, Inuit and Métis community holding valid Ontario health cards. Wabano was allocated $1.3 million in ongoing funding to expand its services through the $2.1-billion Primary Care Action Plan created by the provincial government to address the family doctor crisis. The centre is one of three organizations in the East Ontario region to receive funding and one of seven Indigenous health organizations to receive funding in round one.

Wabano now has a third doctor and nurse practitioner at its clinic. It’s also grown its primary care outreach by recruiting an RN and community outreach worker, allowing its team to offer services such as blood pressure and blood sugar checks in the community.

Wabano is working to increase awareness of routine screenings, such as mammograms, Pap smears and colorectal exams that can catch cancers before they become deadly. The funding has also allowed the centre to hire administration staff members, freeing up medical staff to see more patients.

Wabano still has room to add about 1,200 new patients to meet its target by the end of July. It’s stepping up outreach efforts to let people know the services are available. The clinic has onboarded close to 550 new patients to date, said Natalie Lloyd, director of administration and community engagement at Wabano, during an interview in its cedar lodge, a circular space used for mediation circles and elders’ teachings.

Connecting with underserved populations such as Indigenous people can be challenging, said Lloyd.

Indigenous people have historically been mistreated by Canada’s healthcare system, she pointed out. It wasn’t until the early 1980s that the last of the racially segregated hospitals closed. Between the 1940s and 1960s, Inuit people suffering from tuberculosis were forcibly shipped to sanatoriums located thousands of kilometres away from their homes and communities. Many never returned home, leaving lasting trauma on northern communities.

“That’s why there’s a distrust with the healthcare system,” explained Lloyd, who is Inuk on her mother’s side, with roots in the remote region of Nunatsiavut in northern Labrador.

“At Wabano, the first doorway is ‘belonging’. Patients need to feel safe, so they know their story will be heard and understood,” Lloyd said.

Wabano’s medical staff are open to traditional medicines, Lloyd said. “Instead of dismissing these practices — which is often our experience elsewhere — they respect our culture and what our families have taught us. Being told, ‘There are no studies to support this’ or ‘You’re better off taking this [drug]’ can leave people feeling disqualified.”

The health care provided at Wabano is culturally sensitive, said Lloyd, explaining that the staff complete special training and engage knowledge keepers, while keeping smokeless smudge sprays on hand for patient comfort and wellbeing.

In addition, the clinic refers patients to other wellness, cultural and support programs run by Wabano, making the centre a hub for comprehensive Indigenous care. Clients also have access to an eye clinic, dentist, mental health services and housing services. There’s maternal and infant care programs, social programs for adults and seniors, as well as a recovery and wellness team for those dealing with substance use and grief support groups available.

“Our model of care is looking at the whole person,” said Lloyd.

Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health, located at 299 Montreal Road. Photo by Caroline Phillips

The 2021 Census reported more than 26,395 Indigenous residents in Ottawa, representing 2.6 per cent of the city’s population. The number rose to over 46,000 when Gatineau was included. Since opening in 1999, Wabano has represented nearly every Indigenous community in Canada, Lloyd said. There are more than 600 recognized First Nations governments, or bands, in Canada. “We have representation from coast to coast to coast.

“We have a lot of people say that Wabano is their second home,” said Lloyd. “Wabano fills that void, providing a sense of community that many other primary care centres don’t. Being connected helps reduce anxiety, depression and isolation, and improves physical health. Patients make friends, stress levels go down and their support networks grow.”

If you are First Nations, Inuit, or Métis and are looking for a doctor, contact Wabano to complete the new patient screening form. As well, you can call 613‑748‑0657 ext. 324, or email intake@wabano.com.

This article is made possible through sponsorship from Star Motors, WCPD, Syntax Strategic, RBC, Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties, ExecHealth, Altis Recruitment, Bell Canada, First Avenue Investment Counsel, Welch LLP, and Brazeau Seller Law.

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