Actions and Commitments

Call to Action # 20: Health (18-24)

Expansion of the Lu’ma Medical Centre

September 15, 2019

First Nations and other residents in Metro Vancouver will have increased access to culturally safe and appropriate primary health care thanks to the Province and First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) supporting expansion of the Lu’ma Medical Centre. The Ministry of Health and FNHA are partnering to provide more than $1.8 million in ongoing funding and over $200,000 in one-time funding to expand Indigenous primary care services. Lu’ma provides health and outreach services to urban-based First Nations, Métis and Inuit, many of whom are living away from home and others who travel to the metro area to access medical treatment not available where they live. Lu’ma will soon be able to hire 12 more full-time equivalent health-care professionals who will provide culturally respectful, First Nations-focused care to 1,750 new patients, serving about 2,900 patients in total. The patients will receive wraparound support from a team of new and existing health-care providers, including doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, as well as access to traditional healers, Elders and social navigators.