Work begins on Manitoba renal unit for Bethesda Health
Officials began planning the unit after a study revealed many southeast hemodialysis patients had no nearby treatment options.
A rendering show the design of a renal unit under construction at Bethesda Regional Health Centre. – Province of Manitoba
Key Takeaways:
- New renal unit in Manitoba will give patients a closer place to get treatment.
- The project will cost $32 million.
- Plans for the project came together after a study revealed how many dialysis patients would benefit.
The Whole Story:
Construction has started on a new renal unit at the Bethesda Regional Health Centre that will serve patients in the Steinbach, Man.
The project will allow dialysis patients to receive care closer to home. It’s the first phase of a larger capital project that will expand the site.
“Manitoba is committed to strengthening health care by investing in bringing care closer to home and improving patient care for all Manitobans now and into the future,” said Audrey Gordon, health minister. “The start of construction at Bethesda Regional Health Centre brings us one day closer to reducing the need for those living in or near Manitoba’s third largest city to travel elsewhere for care while providing the site with the necessary capacity to continue growing in the years ahead.”
The capital project includes $32 million of work.
“Ensuring Bethesda Regional Health Centre can meet the needs of a growing population well into the future is vitally important for both the people who call this city and surrounding area home as well as for the health region as a whole,” said Jane Curtis, CEO, Southern Health-Santé Sud. “We are thrilled to see construction begin on a project that will support more care closer to home for the people who live in or near the city of Steinbach, with expanded acute-care inpatient capacity and the establishment of renal services.”
Planning for the project came after a feasibility study and review investigated the number and frequency of patients travelling outside the community for dialysis treatment. There are currently 23 hemodialysis patients living in the province’s southeast catchment area who could benefit from the new, six-station unit at Bethesda, said officials.
The renal unit project is part of a capital investment of at least $812 million in building, expanding and renovating health-care facilities across the province. Other capital projects announced include:
- Expansion and renovation of the Brandon Regional Health Centre and Western Manitoba Cancer Centre.
- Construction of a new hospital in Portage la Prairie.
- Construction of a new hospital in Neepawa.
- Expansion of Boundary Trails Health Centre in Winkler/Morden
- Expansion of the Selkirk Regional Health Centre.
- Renovations at Dauphin Regional Health Centre.
- Expansion of Lakeshore General Hospital in Ashern.
The new dialysis unit at Bethesda is expected to open to patients next summer. Construction on the overall project is expected to be complete by 2025.
