Public health officials with Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care are notifying the public of a confirmed measles case, unrelated to previously announced cases. Read more.

Assiniboine College celebrated the grand opening of its rural rotating Practical Nursing site in Beausejour. Read more: Assiniboine College celebrates grand opening for Practical Nursing rural rotating site in Beausejour | Assiniboine College

We are seeking your input to inform the renovation of E. M. Crowe Memorial Hospital’s emergency room in Eriksdale.

Public information session

Come and speak with project leads on Thursday, March 6  from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Eriksdale Recreation Centre, #2-1st Ave.

Everybody welcome!

If you have any questions, concerns or accessibility needs, please contact us at [email protected].

Public health officials with Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care are notifying the public of five confirmed cases of measles in southern Manitoba, all connected to an outbreak in Ontario. These cases involve five individuals living within the same household, all of whom were contacts of lab-confirmed cases while recently traveling in Ontario. The individuals have been asked to isolate at home. See locations where there is recent known potential for exposure to measles virus.

Time to ensure childhood vaccinations are up to date? Contact a community health office near you.

The Manitoba government is welcoming Interlake residents to weigh in on the design and development of the new Eriksdale emergency room at a project open house on March 6 at the Eriksdale Recreation Centre, Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced today. Read more

Renovating E.M. Crowe Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Room

Physician, staff and community input:

Feedback from residents and staff is influencing the design of the emergency department renovations. Feedback was captured through a public survey that generated 142 responses as well as in-person information sessions in Eriksdale on March 6, 2025 with approximately 150 staff members, physicians and members of the public.

Community based comments are being integrated into designs to ensure the needs of area residents and staff are reflected and that the new space enhances patient care.

Six themes have arisen from feedback collected. The following is a summary of feedback received. Project scope allows for focus on structural elements of the renovations:

1. Facility & infrastructure improvements

Streamline entry, waiting, and ER pathways • Separate and clearly mark entrances: dedicated ER, visitor and ambulance entrances • Proximity and visibility: ER should be closer to nursing stations for better monitoring • Improved signage and wayfinding: better directional signage • Expanded ER space: larger treatment areas and an increase in patient rooms/beds • Waiting area enhancements: more seating, privacy, and comfort features.

2. Privacy & safety measures

• Increased patient privacy: separate areas for ER patients, visitors, and grieving families • Dedicated family and grieving spaces: safe, private rooms for families in distress • Enhanced security features: secure nurse stations, emergency call systems and isolation areas for crisis patients

3. Staffing & medical services

• More staff needed • Improved staff workspaces: larger workstations, better break rooms and overnight staff accommodations • Extended ER hours: many respondents requested 24/7 ER operation • Recruitment and retention efforts: competitive wages, incentives and staff housing solutions needed

4. Technology & equipment upgrades

• Modernized medical equipment: Investment in new diagnostic tools and imaging systems • Technology integration: implementation of digital systems • Better resource allocation: improved lab and diagnostic services for faster patient care

5. Patient experience & comfort

• Better waiting conditions: separate waiting rooms for critical and non-critical cases • Entertainment and transparency: TVs, wait time displays and better communication for patients • Improved accessibility: wider doorways, wheelchair accessible bathrooms and better patient movement/flow.

6. Operational & long term considerations

• Future-proofing the ER: design considerations for future healthcare needs and community growth • Community-centered decision making: strong demand for ongoing community consultation • Balancing renovation and staffing issues

Manitobans can now apply for a modernized plastic health card online, Health, Seniors and Long-term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara and Innovation and New Technology Minister Mike Moroz announced today. Learn how to apply for your card.

Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (IERHA) leadership was made aware of a social media post disparaging the search for the remains of murdered Indigenous women. Multiple staff members recognized the post as racist and brought it forward to leadership.

An immediate investigation confirmed the post was linked to an IERHA employee. Direction was given to remove the post and the employee is now no longer working with IERHA.

Posts of this nature are deeply hurtful. We remain committed to reconciliation, anti-racism and to mitigating further harms through swift and decisive action.

Interlake-Eastern Health is now accepting nominations for this year’s Physician Emeritus Award.

Physicians who are retired or have reduced their practice in preparation for retirement are eligible for nomination if they have provided exemplary service and expertise to their communities.

The nomination can be submitted by either physician colleagues or by community members.

Nominations should have three signatures and a paragraph about why the physician should be considered for the award.

The regional Medical Advisory Committee will consider nominations and make the final decision about granting the designation based on the considerations listed above. The award will be presented at the annual physician dinner in April.

“As a medical professional, there is no higher honour than being recognized by the community you serve or the colleagues you work with daily,” said Dr. Charles Penner, regional lead of medical services and chief medical officer, Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (RHA). “I look forward to the nominations of physicians in the region who go above and beyond every day for their patients.”

Have a physician in mind? Nominations should take into account the following factors:

• Length of service (commitment to the community)Scope of service

• Recognition of exemplary skill by colleagues

• Recognition by the community
• Demonstration of the Interlake-Eastern RHA values in their practice (always with compassion, success in collaboration, accountability in everything we do, acting with integrity and respectful of each other)

Please send nominations to Jennifer St. Laurent at [email protected] by February 7, 2025.

The regional Medical Advisory Committee will consider nominations and determine award recipients.

Award recipients will be recognized in-person at the annual physician dinner in April.

For past winners and other information, please see: Physician Emeritus Awards – Interlake-Eastern RHA

The first baby of 2025 arrived at Selkirk Regional Health Centre at 2:12 a.m. on New Year’s day.

Local to Selkirk, Tisha Hanson welcomed daughter Azayla who weighed seven pounds and 13 ounces and was 19.75 inches long.

Hanson says they had a good experience in the Selkirk obstetrical unit thanks to the staff.

“The staff were really good with her and me. They did everything I needed.,” Hanson said.

Chair of the Selkirk Hospital Gift Shop volunteers, Betty Milkowski, and volunteer Bev Hykawy maintained a tradition by gifting Azayla and mom with diapers, playpen, toys, blankets and clothing to celebrate the arrival of the first baby of 2025. Milkowski said the volunteers make the gift tradition possible.

“The most important thing is all the work that the volunteers do to help us. They make it possible for us to donate and help. This has been going on since the first hospital was built in Selkirk and the original ladies auxiliary was founded. Congratulations to Tisha and her new baby girl,” Milkowski said.

Dr. Bunkowsky attended the delivery. In 2024, 443 babies were born at Selkirk Regional Health Centre. Anyone interested in delivering with Selkirk’s obstetrics unit is invited to call 204.482.5800 for more information and to arrange a tour.