De dwa da dehs nye>s Aboriginal Health Centre announced in April it received a provincial government investment of $10 million for its redevelopment.
According to the release, this investment will provide De dwa da dehs nye>s with the space, and quality of space, required to provide appropriate and accessible health care and to deliver programs to meet the needs of the Indigenous community in Hamilton.
“The current De dwa da dehs nye>s facility has not been able to meet community need for years. It is severely outdated and undersized and is not accessible to all who require its services. There are growing waitlists and inequitable access to care and program participation,” said an April 27 press release.
The centre is the only urban Indigenous health care provider in the greater Hamilton area that provides a blend of western and Indigenous Traditional Medicine for urban First Nations, Inuit and Metis people. De dwa da dehs nye>s has been providing culturally safe programs and services that are relationship-based, welcoming and individual-directed since 1998.
“The provincial government’s investment of over $10M for De dwa da dehs nye>s capital redevelopment will enable us to address the health access barriers identified in a survey of the Indigenous community in Hamilton, including waiting lists and lack of trust in health care providers,” said Bryanne Smart, Board Chair, in the release.