“SCO Nations need to benefit from the signing of the healthcare deal.” – Grand Chief Daniels
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 16, 2024
ANISHINAABE AND DAKOTA TERRITORY, MB — The Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) supports the signing of a new health agreement announced yesterday in Winnipeg.
“The Southern Chiefs’ Organization is supportive over the $633 million in funding being provided to improve healthcare services in Manitoba through recruitment, training, and retention of frontline workers. SCO will work with our provincial Treaty partner to ensure this new agreement includes the Anishinaabe and Dakota Nations,” shared Grand Chief Jerry Daniels.
“SCO is committed to continuing our work with both federal and provincial governments on this most important issue. We look forward to collaborating as we implement our health priorities for our southern First Nations,” said Grand Chief Daniels.
SCO Health Transformation is developing a Health Human Resource Strategy to promote careers in health, support students during their post-secondary studies, and develop a recruitment and retention strategy for creating healthcare positions in First Nations.
SCO is creating a Southern First Nation Health Authority that will play a pivotal role in ensuring that the health needs of the SCO member Nations are addressed in a holistic way. Together with our Elders and Knowledge Keepers Committee, Gender-Based Violence Advisory Circle, and our Chiefs’ Health Action Table, SCO looks forward to working with the federal and provincial governments on the implementation of SCO’s health priorities, as we work towards closing the 11-year and growing gap in life expectancy between First Nations and non-First Nations citizens in Manitoba.
Since the new provincial government took office in October 2023, SCO has been meeting with senior officials to discuss the health and well-being of the more than 87,000 citizens from the 34 southern Anishinaabe and Dakota Nations that SCO represents.
“Our People, Our Health, Our Way”
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The Southern Chiefs’ Organization represents 34 First Nations and more than 87,000 citizens in what is now called southern Manitoba. SCO is an independent political organization that protects, preserves, promotes, and enhances First Nations peoples’ inherent rights, languages, customs, and traditions through the application and implementation of the spirit and intent of the Treaty-making process.
For media inquiries:
Email: Media@scoinc.mb.ca