Manitoba health officials say diagnostic services, laboratory testing and other essential programs will begin returning to Dauphin within days as work continues to restore the flood-damaged Dauphin Regional Health Centre.
During a virtual town hall on July 30, Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said crews are working around the clock to repair damage caused by catastrophic flooding that forced the evacuation of the hospital on July 1.
Officials said more than 6.4 million litres of water have been removed from the site and more than 90 workers have been involved in daily remediation efforts.
“What I saw was incredible in terms of the magnitude of the damage that has been done,” Asagwara said after touring the facility. “It is genuinely jaw-dropping to see what this flood has done to a health centre that is beloved by this community.”
The flooding forced the evacuation of 54 patients and disrupted health services across the Parkland region, prompting the redistribution of patients and staff to communities including Grandview and Ste. Rose du Lac.
Prairie Mountain Health Chief Executive Officer Treena Slate said substantial progress has been made in cleaning the building and assessing the damage.
“Recovery involves much more than cleaning and drying spaces,” Slate said. “It includes extensive assessment, testing, repair, replacement and certification of systems so that patients can depend on safe care.”
Despite the scale of the damage, officials said engineers have determined the structure itself remains sound.
“The building is sound,” Slate said, noting that repairs will include replacing damaged materials and improving the facility’s resilience against future disasters.
Asagwara announced that a temporary outpatient clinic will begin operating in Dauphin by the end of next week. The clinic is expected to provide blood testing, point-of-care laboratory services, electrocardiograms, X-rays and casting services.
Officials also confirmed that ultrasound services have already been expanded from two days a week to five.
The province is continuing to explore options for the installation of a mobile computerized tomography, or CT, scanner, although no location has been finalized.
Health officials also emphasized that no dialysis treatments have been cancelled since the flooding, although patients have been required to travel to alternate locations for care.
Slate said planners are evaluating potential temporary locations for dialysis and chemotherapy services while longer-term repairs continue.
Although no timeline has been established for the full reopening of the hospital, officials repeatedly stressed that all options remain under consideration, including modular facilities, mobile units and the use of portions of the existing building as they become available.
“We’re looking at every single option available to us,” Asagwara said. “Our goal here is to stand up these services in a safe way, but as quickly as we can for folks.”
Mayor David Bosiak said residents have been seeking more information since the disaster and welcomed the opportunity for public discussion.
“The scale and scope of damage has been mentioned already, but it is absolutely unprecedented,” he said.
Bosiak said municipal and provincial officials are also examining ways to reduce the risk of a similar event in the future. Possible measures include improved river monitoring systems and additional flood-mitigation infrastructure around the Vermillion River.
