Later this month, the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority will begin offering midwifery services on the Hay River Reserve.
Erin Griffiths, the CEO of the health authority, said her organization has been working in conjunction with K'atlodeeche First Nation for the last couple of months about the services.
Griffiths noted the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority already offers physician services every two weeks on the reserve, which is officially covered by the Deh Cho Health and Social Services Authority.
"So we've opened up our midwifery services to start doing visiting clinics over on the reserve, as well," she said, adding that will be for a half-day each month.
"The first clinic will be held over there on June 20," she said.
Griffiths was speaking on May 29 during an update on health issues for Hay River town council.
Some councillors had questions about the midwifery arrangement, specifically payment and temporarily relocating staff out of Hay River.
"Are we getting money back from them out of their budget for the services we provide with personnel and everything else?" asked Coun. Vince McKay.
"We are billing for our physician services, but the other services we are not at this point in time," responded Griffiths.
She noted it is the wish of the minister of Health and Social Services that the authorities work as one.
"And we have capacity in order to work with the reserve and provide service on the reserve," added Griffiths. "So we will not be billing for our midwifery services."
Mike Maher, the public administrator with the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority, said funding is always an issue.
Maher noted the Hay River Regional Health Centre sees a lot of clients from Deh Cho communities and Fort Resolution.
"So it's about making sure that we have the right funding to provide the services to the residents," he said.
Griffiths noted the midwifery program at the health centre in Hay River is already seeing clients from the Hay River Reserve.
"We're just relocating our staff so it's easier for the client to see our staff," she said.
McKay said it's a bone of contention with the GNWT that the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority is funded for Hay River, but serves a region.
Deputy Mayor Donna Lee Jungkind agreed with that concern.
"So we're physically taking them and putting them into a situation where we're not actually funded," she said of the midwives travelling to the reserve. "They could be in our facility seeing them there, and potentially utilizing their travel time in our facility."
Jungkind said it's frustrating the government can't see that the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority is not being funded properly.