May 5, 2025 – Southern Health-Santé Sud joins the global celebration of the International Day of the Midwife, honoring the compassionate professionals who guide families through the journey of pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood.

Midwifery has been a regulated and publicly funded profession in Manitoba since 2000. All practicing midwives are registered with the College of Manitoba Midwives (CMM), the provincial regulatory body dedicated to maintaining high standards of care and safety.

Midwives are primary care providers for individuals experiencing low-risk pregnancies. Their role provides prenatal education and care, labor and delivery support in hospital or home settings and six weeks postpartum care for mother and baby.

Southern Health-Santé Sud currently has 14 midwives serving families in Winkler/Morden and Steinbach areas. These dedicated professionals, alongside their administrative teams, continue to make midwifery care a valued and sought-after option for expectant families.

The impact of their work is best reflected in the words of the clients they serve:

“I am beyond impressed with the care I received from my midwifery team. They have all been kind, compassionate and supportive every step of the way!”

“I feel incredibly blessed by each member of my midwifery team. I am eternally grateful for the quality of family-centered care I have received. I wish every woman could experience it!”

These heartfelt testimonials underscore the powerful bond between midwives and the families they support, and the lasting difference personalized, respectful care can make.

As we recognize International Day of the Midwife, Southern Health-Santé Sud extends its deepest thanks to all midwives and support staff in the region. Your dedication continues to strengthen and enrich the care available to families in our communities.

Southern Health-Santé Sud is inviting you to follow in the foot steps of the students at Roseau Valley School to share about an activity that you and others in your community did to spread kindness, create joy and build relationships.

Something as simple as a kind message in sidewalk chalk or a card to a senior can make a huge difference in someone’s day, including your own! These small acts of kindness play a big role in the mental health and well-being of our community.

Help us create an e-book by sharing about your activity and helping us to inspire others to host a Love My Community event.

We encourage you to take action between March 18 – May 12, 2025
by participating in the challenge and submitting an entry form and photos.

A few examples for inspiration:

Submit entry and photos (ensure you have consent to publish-share) to:

Resources:
CMHA Mental Health Week
CMHA Mental Health Promotion
CMHA Mental Health for Life

For more information, contact:
or

It is with mixed emotions that we inform you that Jane Curtis will be leaving the role of Chief Executive Officer for Southern Health-Santé Sud, effective immediately. Jane has accepted the interim role of CEO of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.

Over the past 8 years, Jane has led our organization with unwavering dedication, visionary leadership, and a commitment to excellence in healthcare, all values that will serve Manitobans greatly in her new role. During her tenure, Jane has overseen significant advancements in our services, expanded our reach to more families, patients and communities, and fostered a culture of innovation and compassion.

We are grateful for Jane’s contributions and the positive impact she has had on our organization and the communities we serve. Her leadership has been instrumental in shaping Southern Health-Santé Sud into the sustainable, respected and thriving institution it is today. As Jane embarks on a new chapter, we extend our heartfelt thanks and best wishes for her future endeavors.

The Board of Directors will soon commence the search for a new CEO who will continue to build on the strong foundation laid by Jane. In the interim, Dana Human, Regional Lead – Community & Continuing Care will serve as the acting CEO to ensure a smooth transition and maintain the continuity of our operations. We are confident in her ability to lead our organization during this period of change.

For more information, please contact SH-SS communications:

The Manitoba government is launching a three-month pilot project that will see Long Plain First Nation Safety Officers (FNSO) stationed at Portage District General Hospital to enhance safety and security for patients and front-line workers, Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced today.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe when they are accessing health care,” said Asagwara. “This is an incredible opportunity to work with our partners in Long Plain First Nation to enhance safety for the front lines, patients and the broader community. During the listening tour, we heard directly from the front-line workers about the challenges they are facing in terms of safety and security. We are responding to those concerns by increasing safety officer presence in health-care facilities throughout the province.”

Through the initiative, First Nation Safety Officers from Long Plain First Nation will patrol the hospital and its surrounding campus, parking lots and properties on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., added the minister.

“The safety and security of Long Plain First Nation members and businesses has always been of paramount importance to leadership,” said Chief David Meeches, Long Plain First Nation. “Years ago, we took it upon ourselves to form a security team with the best interest of the nation in mind. What started as a handful of band security officers quickly evolved into Arrowhead Security. Our nation is proud of the expansion and growth of our FNSO/security program.”

As peace officers trained in public safety, crime prevention and de-escalation techniques, the FNSOs will perform duties that enhance safety and security including:

• providing a welcoming service for patients, caregivers and support persons;
• screening for weapons, contraband and intoxicants;
• patrolling the exterior campus and parking lots;
• offering safe walk services for staff; and
• taking over the custody of patients from the RCMP that are being held under the Mental Health Act for medical and psychiatric assessment.

Institutional safety officers were first introduced at Health Sciences Centre (HSC) Winnipeg in April as part of the Manitoba government’s efforts to respond to safety concerns reported by staff during the front-line listening tour, noted the minister, adding the program has since expanded to a total of 105 funded positions located at HSC Winnipeg, St. Boniface Hospital, Victoria Hospital, Brandon Regional Health Centre and Selkirk Mental Health Centre.

Bethesda Regional Health Centre is proud to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the new renal dialysis unit, which officially opened its doors on October 16, 2023. The province committed $4 million to the new unit which has already made a significant impact in the southern health region, offering residents access to high-quality dialysis treatment without the need to travel long distances.

Located on the main floor of the Community Services Building, the six-station dialysis unit operates Monday through Saturday, from 7:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. The unit serves up to 12 patients per day, providing essential care to individuals with chronic kidney disease. This critical service not only saves patients valuable time and money but also keeps them close to their support networks of family and friends, ensuring a higher quality of life during their treatment.

The new dialysis unit is part one of a significant expansion of inpatient services currently underway at Bethesda Regional Health Centre. Phase two of this project will see 15 additional acute -care medicine beds, eight new surgical beds and three new state-of-the art operating theaters. This expansion will increase the facility’s capacity to provide inpatient services and enhance its role as a regional hub of care.

The renal dialysis unit at Bethesda Regional Health Centre exemplifies the commitment to improving health care services for the people of Steinbach and surrounding communities. As the region’s health care needs continue to evolve, the new unit stands as a testament to the facility’s dedication to providing accessible, high-quality care.