For Melanie Kahmahkotayo, seeing a doctor used to mean finding a ride off her First Nation, taking time away from work and family, and waiting for hours to be seen.
Those barriers led to her going nearly two decades without a family doctor.
Now, a new partnership between the Battle River Treaty 6 Health Centre and the Saskatchewan Health Authority is bringing a physician to local health clinics in three First Nations communities — Little Pine, Poundmaker and Sweetgrass — making it easier for people to get care closer to home.
“I’m happy that my health is getting back to order, because it wasn’t in order when I wasn’t seeing a doctor,” said Kahmahkotayo, who is from Little Pine First Nation, about 53 kilometres northwest of North Battleford.
“I’m diabetic and I really need to take care of my health, and I’m looking better today.”
Instead of making the trip off reserve, she can now see a physician at a clinic in her own community. She saw her family doctor two weeks ago, to consult on the medications she’s taking.