The Manitoba government has added 4,725 net new health-care workers across the province since October 2023, adding capacity to a health-care system experiencing significant pressure as hospitals and emergency departments care for more patients with increasingly complex needs.
“We know how hard health-care workers are working right now, and we know patients are waiting too long for care. Our hospitals and front-line health-care teams are under significant pressure, and the people working in them continue to step up for Manitobans every single day,” said Premier Wab Kinew. “The 4,725 additional health-care workers we’ve added are helping teams respond to that pressure and care for more patients at a time when they’re needed most. We know we need even more people on the front lines, and we’re going to keep hiring and keep strengthening the system.”
The 4,725 net new health-care workers include 370 doctors, 1,464 nurses, 2,152 health-care aides and 607 allied health professionals. These additional workers are helping increase capacity across the health-care system at a time when emergency and urgent care departments are experiencing sustained demand and patients are presenting with increasingly complex health needs.
“Every health-care worker we add helps strengthen the team around them and builds more capacity for patients,” said Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara. “From new physicians joining the urgent care here at Seven Oaks to nurses and allied health professionals working across Manitoba, we are growing the teams that deliver care every day. We’ve made real progress and we’re going to keep building on it.”
Seven Oaks General Hospital is among the facilities experiencing staffing growth, with 111 net new health-care workers since October 2023. This includes new allied health professionals joining the urgent care team to support shorter wait times and better care for patients, the minister noted.
Seven Oaks is also welcoming new physicians to its urgent care department. Dr. Janet Yuen begins work today and is the first physician to join the hospital through the reinstated Family Physician Emergency Medicine Training Program.
Dr. Ayomikun Soyombo, an emergency medicine physician recruited from the United Kingdom (U.K.), is also joining the urgent care team at Seven Oaks and will work at Grace Hospital.
“I have been blown away by everyone going above and beyond to make me feel welcome, and that solidified my decision to join the Manitoba family,” said Soyombo. “My family and I are excited about what tomorrow holds. I look forward to bringing my experience as an emergency medicine consultant in the U.K. to Manitoba and contributing to the delivery of high-quality emergency care.”
These additions support ongoing efforts to increase capacity, respond to growing patient needs and support health-care workers experiencing sustained pressure across the system.
The Manitoba government continues to work with health-system partners to recruit and retain doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and other specialized staff to support health services across the province.
While 4,725 net new health-care workers have joined the system since October 2023, the Manitoba government recognizes more work is needed and will continue recruiting and retaining health-care professionals to increase capacity and improve access to care for Manitobans.
