Southern Health–Santé Sud is highlighting key developments from the past year, including a leadership transition, program expansion, and regional health challenges.
New leadership
Southern Health–Santé Sud began the year facing a leadership transition after Chief Executive Officer Jane Curtis accepted a new role with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. Dana Human stepped into the position as Interim CEO.
Human brings years of experience as a nurse and leader within Southern Health–Santé Sud and says she benefited greatly from mentorship along the way.
“My career journey led me to work in various leadership roles, including the VP of Community and Continuing Care under Jane Curtis’s leadership for a few years and Jane always worked to empower us as her leadership team to obtain the skills required to steer the Southern Health-Sante Sud to ensure continuity with services, no matter what the situation.”
Human says she felt prepared to step into the role on short notice and credits the support around her.
“I continue to be overwhelmed by the support I received from the staff in Southern Health, our community partners, our affiliate partners, you name it. It’s really all about relationships and I’m so glad that we have so many good ones.”
Many highlights
Human says 2025 brought many highlights, including Southern Health–Santé Sud achieving accredited status.
She also points to progress on major capital expansion projects at several regional health centres, including Bethesda Regional Health Centre in Steinbach, Boundary Trails Health Centre, and Portage Regional Health Centre.
Another positive has been the addition of new physicians, clinical staff, and support staff.
“It has been fantastic to welcome some new bodies into the Southern Health world. So [we are] really happy to welcome all of them.”
Southern Health–Santé Sud has also rolled out new provincial programs, including the Digital Front Door.
“[It] provides an electronic access to the RAAM clinic, which is the Rapid Access to Addiction Medicine. So, if someone’s not comfortable presenting in person, they’ve got that digital appointment booking option, which has been great to just expand outreach.”
Other new initiatives include patient safety monitoring, cultural awareness training, and Manitoba Mental Health and Addictions Connect, a centralized intake service for youth mental health providers.
Human also highlights participation in a Canadian Public Health Association national conference in Winnipeg, where they presented on a groundbreaking project enhancing palliative care with First Nations communities.
“This innovative initiative, which has been carried out in partnership with the Dakota Ojibwe Health Services and five local First Nations, has been designed to bridge gaps in palliative care and ensure that culturally relevant services are accessible to Indigenous communities in the region.”
Efforts to strengthen access to French-language services continue, along with workforce development initiatives.
“I have to highlight the four programs for the practical nursing through Assiniboine College that are going on within our region specifically at present to really prepare these individuals to become licensed practical nurses. So, we’re really excited to welcome these future LPNs if they so choose to work within our region.”
Challenges
Despite the many successes, Human says the year also brought significant challenges, including a measles outbreak.
“This has been a lot of work for our public health, healthy living teams, as well as our acute facilities and the clinics and so on and so forth. Just ensuring access to the services that are needed for those that do receive a diagnosis of measles.”
Wildfire season also had a major impact, particularly for northern Manitobans who were forced to relocate.
“The effects on the northern residents within Manitoba and them having to relocate to all of us within southern Manitoba and the other regional health authorities as well. It was a lot of quick work to be able to set up services and also just heavy hearts for these individuals having to relocate.”
Human says staff responded immediately to support those displaced.
“Our staff just jumped in with both feet to be able to support in any way possible. And as well, our connection with the communities and the stakeholders all jumping in to provide support was very heartwarming.”
She adds that natural events such as flooding remain an ongoing concern.
Recruitment across all areas of healthcare also continues to be both a challenge and a priority.
“I call it a challenge to keep it a priority focus that we all are laser focused on to be able to do whatever we can to welcome individuals into employment with us within the region,” Human says.