Two midwives hired in Selkirk, province announces

The province has delivered midwifery services to Manitoba’s Interlake-Eastern Health region.

On Monday, Premier Wab Kinew and Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced two full-time midwives will be based in Selkirk.

“For far too long, families in this region have not had access to midwifery care,” Asagwara said at a news conference in Selkirk, noting it’s been 25 years since services were available.

“Expectant parents have all too often had to travel elsewhere for the kind of personalized, expert care that they really need,” the minister said.

The midwives will provide comprehensive care including prenatal visits, labour and birth support, newborn care, postpartum follow-up and reproductive sexual health care.

The previous government cut Manitoba’s midwifery program, requiring that nursing students training to be midwives had to go out of province, said Asagwara. No new midwife positions were created in Manitoba, so many midwifery students weren’t able to return to the province to practice.

“Now we’re telling a different story. We’re able to tell midwifery students that not only can you train in Manitoba, we are actively creating opportunities for you to practise,” said Asagwara, a registered psychiatric nurse.

The minister noted $1.1 million in this year’s budget went to expanding midwifery across the province, including two positions announced earlier this year at Norway House Cree Nation.

The province said pregnant women in the region may access prenatal intake by telling their family doctor or nurse practitioner of their interest in the midwifery program. People can also self-refer by calling 204-482-2150 or emailing prenatalintake@ierha.ca.

Since April 2024, Manitoba has hired a total of 11 new midwives, the minister said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca