First Nations

New health centre to be built by Kawacatoose First Nation

REGINA – Kawacatoose First Nation, in partnership with Siemens Canada Limited, has announced the planned development of a Health Centre of Excellence, located in east Regina. The Health Centre will be constructed on land owned by Kawacatoose and will incorporate medical, dental and optical centres, all supported by state-of-the-art laboratory and pharmacy services.

The centre is fully funded by the Kawacatoose First Nation, without any federal or provincial funds being used in the project thus far. The project is expected to cost upwards of $10 million upon completion, according to a news report in the Regina Leader-Post.

One of Kawacatoose First Nation’s primary concerns is providing specialized health services to First Nations of Saskatchewan. “This Health Centre will provide First Nations people with the dedicated health services they require, including preventative and nutritional programs,” said Chief Dennis Dustyhorn of the Kawacatoose First Nation. Chief Dustyhorn added, the Health Centre will offer trained professionals and specialized services like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to all Saskatchewan residents, helping shorten waiting lists and reducing the need to seek out-of-province solutions.

Siemens welcomed the opportunity to partner with Kawacatoose First Nation and to provide their technology and project consultation service on this innovative facility. A world leader in medical technologies, Siemens has invested a great deal in assisting Canadian communities such as Kawacatoose. “This Centre of Excellence will feature the most advanced medical equipment and facilities available, and will provide patients with complete health services all housed within one location,” said Frank Suraci, Director, Aboriginal Affairs, Siemens Canada Limited. “Additionally, the technology deployed will aid in the treatment of remote patients located outside of Regina.”

About Siemens Canada
Siemens is one of the largest and most diversified companies in the world of electronics and electrical engineering, operating in the industry, energy and healthcare sectors. The company has 6,000 employees in Canada, working to develop and manufacture products, design and install complex systems and projects, and tailor a wide range of solutions for individual requirements. For almost 100 years in Canada, Siemens has stood for technical achievements, innovation, quality and reliability. Sales for Siemens in Canada for fiscal 2007 (ended September 30), were $2.3 billion CAD. Further information is available at www.siemens.ca.