The Manitoba government has successfully attracted 137 doctors to practice across the province since 2024, according to recent reports. Premier Wab Kinew highlighted that these doctors have been recruited from various locations such as the United Kingdom, different parts of Canada, and other global regions.
Among these physicians, 18 were specifically brought in by the Health Care Retention and Recruitment Office to serve within the Prairie Mountain Health region. Premier Kinew made these remarks during a press conference at the Brandon Regional Health Centre, emphasizing the importance of these doctors working in areas like surgery, family medicine, and emergency rooms for the benefit of Manitobans.
One of the newly recruited doctors, Dr. Arleigh Trainor, shared her experience of returning to Manitoba after living in the United States. She expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and support she has received from the community in Brandon.
Looking ahead, Prairie Mountain Health anticipates the addition of at least six more specialists to their healthcare workforce in the coming months. Notably, the government disclosed that out of the 137 new recruits, 81 focus on family medicine, while the others specialize in areas such as emergency medicine, surgery, psychiatry, and pediatrics.
The recruitment efforts included trips to the U.K. which brought in 52 doctors, with an additional 42 coming from various parts of Canada. However, Doctors Manitoba raised concerns about physician retention and highlighted ongoing shortages, especially in rural communities. While acknowledging the positive impact of the recruitment office, the group stressed the need for a comprehensive retention strategy to address physician turnover.
Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara affirmed the province’s commitment to continuous doctor recruitment efforts, emphasizing the importance of retaining the growing number of physicians being attracted to Manitoba. Thursday’s announcement of doctor recruitment initiatives is distinct from the recent allocation of $6 million in federal funding to hire up to 90 internationally trained doctors by 2029, as announced last week.
