Download Cancer Care in Manitoba - Province of Manitoba | News Releases

Back grounder
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
CANCER CARE IN MANITOBA
Cancer prevention and treatment in Manitoba is carried out by a wide group of partners including
CancerCare Manitoba, all levels of government, Manitoba’s regional health authorities, hospitals,
family physicians, community and social agencies, charitable organizations and individuals.
Since 1999, the province has made significant investments in cancer care and treatment including:

investing $13.3 million in new funding for cancer drugs and a new provincial oncology drug
program;

investing in the expansion of new radiation therapy services for the Western Manitoba Regional
Cancer Program;

investing $5.4 million in new and replacement linear accelerators and treatment vaults, providing
CancerCare Manitoba with state-of-the art equipment and additional treatment capacity;

constructing a $1.7-million community cancer program and providing other renovations at Pinawa
Hospital to enhance emergency and acute patient care;

investing more than $750,000 in construction in a community cancer program project to enhance
access to chemotherapy at Deloraine Hospital;

investing $3.8 million in construction to expand outpatient chemotherapy and obstetrics at
Steinbach’s Bethesda Hospital;

developing a $1.4-million, 3,600-square-foot state-of-the-art community cancer unit at the
Neepawa Health Centre;

investing more than $7 million to purchase and install a positron-emission scanner for both
treatment and research;

investing in the redevelopment of Victoria General Hospital including the construction of a new
oncology department;

providing $3.4 million for the Manitoba Prostate Centre which provides specialized treatment and
care to support Manitobans with prostate diseases including cancer; and

supporting UPCON (Uniting Primary Care and Oncology), a network of 15 family practice clinics
and community health centres in Winnipeg, to link with cancer professionals and expand their
knowledge and expertise in cancer. The physicians have full, secure access to health records at
CancerCare Manitoba so family doctors can track the care of their patients as well as being
involved in cancer-care education.
…2
-2-
Other important investments have been made in cancer prevention initiatives and increased human
resources including:

launching a phased-in provincewide program to enhance colorectal screening in targeted age
groups;

providing more than $580,000 annually to fund and support the provincial tobacco control
program;

investing more than $125,000 annually to support nutrition in schools;

investing more than $750,000 in annual funding for the Healthy Schools initiative which promotes
healthy living options for students, their families, school staff and school communities;

committing $3 million to the Chronic Disease Prevention Initiative which offers funding and support
to encourage communities to develop innovative programs and services that offer opportunities for
healthy living;

providing more than $750,000 annually to support Manitoba in motion, part of a provincial strategy
to increase the physical activity of Manitobans for improved health;

providing more than $100,000 for an Aboriginal service co-ordinator position at CancerCare
Manitoba; and

working with medical oncologists at CancerCare Manitoba to enhance supports and improve
working relationships to encourage physician recruitment and retention.