Maamwesying and North Shore Health Network sign collaboration agreement

A collaboration has been signed this week between two North Shore health networks.

In a gathering held at the Mississauga Community Hall on Tuesday, the Maamwesying North Shore Community Health Services, a core partner of the Maamwesying Ontario Health Team and North Shore Health Network signed a collaboration agreement, sealing their commitment to deliver healthcare for Indigenous peoples in North-eastern Ontario. 

The Maamwesying Ontario Health Team was announced in October of 2022 to seamlessly integrate health care services for clients in First Nations across the Northeast, as well as the urban Indigenous population in Sault Ste. Marie.  

The collaboration aims to improve access to quality care, enhance satisfaction, foster equitable and culturally safe care, and promote the efficient use of healthcare resources and will involve health leaders in the planning, design, delivery, and evaluation of health services in both First Nation and non-Native communities.

Carol Eshkakogan, CEO of Maamwesying North Shore Community Health Services Inc./Chair of the Maamwesying Ontario Health Team Leadership Council, stated, “This agreement reaffirms the value of Indigenous peoples and their right to self-determination within the healthcare system. Together, we recognize the collective long-term goal of creating a healthcare system free from racism and discrimination”

Tim Vine, President, and CEO of North Shore Health Network, remarked, “This collaboration sets a positive precedent for the future of healthcare in Indigenous communities. It focuses on ensuring that care is culturally sensitive, patient-centered, and equitable.