Health authority introduces Indigenous pathways program

People getting services from the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) will now be able to request traditional Indigenous services from the authority as well.

On Tuesday afternoon, the traditional pathways program was introduced to the public.

Dr. Susan Shaw, chief medical officer with the SHA, described it as a commitment to create the space for traditional healers and for people to be able to access traditional healers and medicine in partnership with the health authority.

“We know that traditional pathways and traditional healing have a big role in the health of many people and we want to make it easier and more accessible for those people who request it,” said Shaw.

She explained it’s something the authority gets a lot of requests for, and she said the authority has been told this will have a big impact.

The services which will be available include things like access to traditional foods, medicines and prayers, and cleansing and smudging ceremonies.

The program is already serving patients, but mostly in Regina because that’s where the relationships currently exist with people to provide the services.

“Eventually, with time, as we build up partnerships and connections to the healers across the province we hope to be able to expand and create support elsewhere as well,” said Shaw.

Shaw said it’s all about building partnerships.

“We can’t rush the relationships,” she said. “You need to have those built first and then we can create the partnerships to allow this program to spread across the SHA.”

In Regina, the program is called Grey Wolf Lodge, a name given to it by Medicine Man Darrel Bellegarde. Shaw said that name is significant to her and the program — she said it’s about creating the safety to move forward.

“The way it has been explained to me is that the grey wolf is a protector and a leader and provides guidance and direction and support,” she said.

Shaw said the program has been in the works for a long time. There was some access to traditional medicine in the former health regions, but Shaw explained that through the transition to the single health authority, work was done to create the program and continue working on building the relationships and connections to make the services available everywhere.