Kinew welcomes young boy from Gaza needing life-changing medical care
Manitoba welcomed a Palestinian child Friday whose family fled from the war-ravaged Gaza Strip and is in need of 'life-changing medical care.'
Premier Wab Kinew greeted the kindergarten-age boy, his mother, grandmother and two younger siblings at the airport Friday.
An 11-year-old Gazan boy in need of treatment for a genetic condition arrived with his mother in January.
Rachael King photo
At the airport on Friday, Premier Wab Kinew welcomed a family from Gaza. The oldest of the children (left) will be receiving life-changing medical care.
'This is part of the humanitarian corridor that we've opened,' Kinew said at a news conference late Friday.
'So many Manitobans have been moved by what's happening (in the war-torn region) and looking for an outlet for those feelings, for that emotion, and now we have it in the form of two young children who are now in our province to receive medical care.'
Before arriving in Winnipeg, both children had been in Egypt after fleeing Gaza.
The premier said they are receiving treatment in areas where the health system has capacity. Their cases were flagged by the humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders. The children and family members arrived after passing lengthy security screening processes by federal immigration authorities.
'This is something that is made possible by the community stepping up,' said Kinew, who can't identify the children or their health conditions under the Personal Health Information Act.
He said the Manitoba Islamic Association and community organizations have raised funds and volunteered to make sure the housing, food and basic needs of the families are met.
'The first child who arrived from Gaza has had a number of appointments and has received surgery here in our province and is doing well,' Kinew said, adding the child is attending school.
Winnipeg Jets Game Days
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.
'Manitobans can feel very good about this initiative. It's made a difference in the health of a young person coming from a region that's in conflict, and that child is adjusting to life alongside other Manitoba kids — learning the language, learning at school and thinking about what they want to be when they grow up. And to me that's a very, very positive story for us to tell.'
The arrival of the boy Friday has taken much longer than expected, he said.
'I was surprised of the amount of legwork required, but it's important,' Kinew said. 'There has to be security checks, there has to be vetting, there has to be that match with our health-care system.
'The main thing is that we're doing something as Manitobans to be able to help in an area where everyone recognizes there is a need. '
carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Carol SandersLegislature reporter
Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol.
Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Netanyahu denounces report that Israeli soldiers have orders to shoot at Palestinians seeking aid
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz emphatically rejected a report in the left-leaning Israeli daily Haaretz on Friday, which claimed Israeli soldiers were ordered to shoot at Palestinians approaching aid sites inside Gaza. They called the report's findings 'malicious falsehoods designed to defame' the military. More than 500 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds more wounded while seeking food since the newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began distributing aid in the territory about a month ago, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Palestinian witnesses say Israeli troops have opened fire at crowds on the roads heading toward the sites. Reacting to the Haaretz piece, Israel's military confirmed that it was investigating incidents in which civilians had been harmed while approaching the sites. It rejected the article's allegations 'of deliberate fire toward civilians.' The foundation, which is backed by an American private contractor, has been distributing food boxes at four locations, mainly in the far south of Gaza, for the past month. 'GHF is not aware of any of these incidents but these allegations are too grave to ignore and we therefore call on Israel to investigate them and transparently publish the results in a timely manner,' the group said in a social media post. Palestinians trying to find food have frequently encountered chaos and violence on their way to and on arrival at the aid sites. Tens of thousands are desperate for food after Israel imposed a 2 1/2 month siege on Gaza, blocking all food, water and medicine from entering the territory pending the setup of the GHF sites. The bodies of eight people who died Friday had come to Shifa Hospital from a GHF site in Netzarim, although it was not immediately clear how they died, Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmyiha, the hospital's director, told The Associated Press. A GHF spokesperson challenged the report, saying they did not know of any incidents at or near their sites Friday. Twenty other bodies his hospital received Friday came from airstrikes across north Gaza, he said. Thousands of Palestinians walk for hours to reach the hubs, moving through Israeli military zones where witnesses say Israeli troops regularly open fire with heavy barrages to control the crowds. The Israeli military says it has only fired warning shots. Mohammad Fawzi, a displaced man from Rafah, told the AP that he was only able to get empty boxes, not food, from the aid site in the Shakoush area in Rafah when he trekked there early Thursday morning. 'We've been shot at since 6 a.m. up until 10 a.m. just to get aid and only some people were able to receive it. There are martyrs and injured people. The situation is difficult,' he said. The group Doctors Without Borders on Friday condemned the distribution system as 'a slaughter masquerading as humanitarian aid' and called for it to be immediately shut down. More than 6,000 people have been killed and more than 20,000 injured in Gaza since the ceasefire collapsed on March 18. Since the war began, more than 56,000 people have been killed and 132,000 injured, according to the health ministry. The Gaza Health Ministry doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants, but has said that women and children make up more than half the 56,000 dead. Israel says it only targets militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas, accusing the militants of hiding among civilians, because they operate in populated areas. The Israel-Hamas war started following the Hamas-led attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, when some 1,200 people were killed and around 250 taken hostage. About 50 of them still remain in captivity in Gaza. The latest deaths include six people killed and 10 wounded in Israeli strikes on a group of citizens near the Martyrs Roundabout in the Bureij Camp in central Gaza Strip, officials at Awda Hospital in Nuseirat said Friday. The United Nations chief meanwhile urged leaders to show 'political courage' and agree to a ceasefire like the one forged between Israel and Iran. Sundays Kevin Rollason's Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba. Secretary-General António Guterres also urged a return to the U.N.'s long-tested distribution system for aid in Gaza, where he said Israeli military operations have created 'a humanitarian crisis of horrific proportions..' 'The search for food must never be a death sentence,' Guterres stressed to U.N. reporters Friday. ___ Shurafa reported from Gaza and Khaled from Cairo. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer contributed from the United Nations. ___ Follow AP's war coverage at
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Prepare for rural ER crunch in summer, Manitoba doctors advise
As Manitobans take summer holidays, Doctors Manitoba is urging them to be prepared for rural hospital emergency room closures and staffing shortages before they hit the road. 'This year we're expecting more travel within our province as many Manitobans are choosing to avoid travel to the United States,' said president Nichelle Desilets, a family physician in Neepawa. 'This is a great thing, of course, but we physicians want to ensure that Manitobans are prepared to access emergency medical help across rural Manitoba no matter where we are,' Desilets said in an online news conference Thursday. TIM SMITH / BRANDON SUN FILES Family physician Dr. Nichelle Desilets, president of Doctors Manitoba TIM SMITH / BRANDON SUN FILES Family physician Dr. Nichelle Desilets, president of Doctors Manitoba The organization that advocates on behalf of doctors issued a public advisory about services in rural Manitoba. Changing hours of operation and periodic closures in the summer can make it difficult to anticipate whether — or when — a rural ER will be open. 'It's a bit of a guessing game,' said Desilets. She recommended Manitobans consult its website for answers. 'This isn't a new problem — it's been building for many years,' she said. In August 2024, a Doctors Manitoba analysis showed just 18 rural hospitals were reliably open 24-7; 25 were open part time or had frequent gaps in coverage; and 25 were closed due to temporary or long-term suspensions of service. This year, 'the prolonged uncertainty and short-staffing is taking a toll,' Desilets said, referring to a members' survey taken by the organization earlier this month. 'We found high levels of burnout and distress, with nearly a third of emergency room doctors indicating that they are considering reducing their working hours or resigning their duties completely if their work conditions don't change,' she said. With reduced ER hours and closures expected across the province, Doctors Manitoba is advising Manitobans to be prepared: • Know the closest and second-closest ER to where you live or where you will be travelling. With reduced ER hours and closures expected across the province, Doctors Manitoba is advising Manitobans to be prepared: • Know the closest and second-closest ER to where you live or where you will be travelling. • Find ER hours and schedules — some are operating on reduced hours and some may be temporarily or permanently closed. Schedules can change with little notice. Check which health region you are in or will be in, and where the regional health authority posts current information about ER hours and closures. • Know how to call for emergency care. In most parts of Manitoba, you can call 911. In some smaller communities or parks, you may have to call a local number to get an ambulance. • Know your location — address, intersection or landmark — and know the number you are calling from. • If it is urgent, go to the closest open ER or urgent care centre. • Consider alternative options for non-urgent care, such as local doctor offices that accept walk-ins or appointments. Call Health Links at 1−888−315−9257. • See for more information. — Doctors Manitoba Doctors Manitoba forecasts that 28 ERs are expected to be fully closed, including five considered a temporary suspension, after reviewing physician feedback alongside this summer's rural ER schedules. 'Twenty, or about one-quarter of rural hospitals, will have their emergency rooms reliably open 24 hours a day, seven days a week; 24 more ERs are expected to operate with reduced hours of operation or periodic closures, and this is often due to physician or nurse shortages,' Desilets said. Several ERs that used to be reliably open 24-7 are experiencing periodic closures, including communities such as Gimli, Minnedosa, Carman and Crystal City, she said. Three of the largest ERs outside Winnipeg — Brandon, Morden-Winkler and Steinbach — have high vacancy levels, she said. 'While these ERs are still expected to be open 24-7, the reduced physician coverage will likely lead to increased workload for staff and longer waits for patients,' the family doctor said. TIM SMITH / BRANDON SUN FILES Brandon Regional Health Centre has a high vacancy level. TIM SMITH / BRANDON SUN FILES Brandon Regional Health Centre has a high vacancy level. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said that since the NDP formed government in ;ate 2023, the province has hired 50 net new rural physicians for emergency rooms. 'We're moving things in the right direction while recognizing that the system is still incredibly challenged,' Asagwara said in an interview late Thursday. Under the former Tory administration 'the closures were greater than they are under our government,' the minister said. In June 2022, Doctors Manitoba forecast closures and temporary suspensions of ER service in about 60 per cent of the 68 hospitals in northern and rural Manitoba. 'There are still a lot of pressures on emergency departments across the province,' Asagwara said. 'That is what happens when you cut health care and close emergency rooms over seven and a half years.' Prairie Mountain Health, based in western Manitoba, said in a statement Thursday that scheduling gaps that may arise at its largest ER in Brandon are being managed, and that wait times 'have many factors and are not strictly tied to staffing.' 'It's important to note that physician, nursing, and diagnostic services are all critical components of a functioning emergency department — all three must be in place to ensure safe and effective patient care,' it said. 'We continue to closely monitor and co-ordinate these resources to ensure stable coverage,' the health authority said. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Jason Linklater, Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Jason Linklater, Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals Jason Linklater, president of the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals, said the province needs a 'real plan' to retain, train, and recruit more staff, including lab and X-ray technologists and paramedics. He said there are 45 open lab and X-ray positions and 200 vacant paramedic positions, resulting in some 911 callers waiting an hour or more for life-saving care to arrive. 'Closed ERs force paramedics to transport patients further distances for care, taking ambulances and the skilled professionals who staff them out of rotation for longer, and compounding the staffing shortage,' Linklater said. PC health critic Kathleen Cook accused the NDP of breaking its campaign promise to fix health care. 'This situation in rural ERs is particularly troubling this year as we expect to see more people travelling within Manitoba or within Canada instead of leaving the country,' the MLA for Roblin said. If regional centres such as Brandon, Boundary Trails and Steinbach, which typically have two or three ER doctors per shift, are down to a single physician, it's worrisome, Cook said. 'That's going to result in longer wait times for everybody and it's also going to burn out their staff. It's not a good situation to be in.' Carol SandersLegislature reporter Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol. Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Global News
4 days ago
- Global News
Manitoba Public Insurance says off-road vehicle injuries involving kids on rise
Manitoba Public Insurance is urging young Manitobans to be careful when riding off-road vehicles (ORVs), after new data collected by the Crown corporation shows that 80-100 young patients involved in ORV accidents are taken to Winnipeg's Children's Hospital annually. Matt Wiebe, the province's justice minister, says young riders should always be supervised by a parent or guardian, and that ORV users — of all ages — should be wearing a helmet every time they hit the trails. 'Like many Manitobans, I am an avid ORV rider,' Wiebe said, 'and part of being a responsible rider is knowing how quickly and tragically things can go wrong when these vehicles are misused. 'Our government is committed to raising awareness for ORV safety and helping to prevent tragedies, especially the loss of young lives.' The number of kids hurt in incidents with ORVs continues to climb, according to MPI's data, with an increasing number of young riders ending up in emergency rooms with severe and/or life-altering injuries. Story continues below advertisement According to MPI, boys between the ages of 14-16 are suffering the most severe injuries — particularly on weekends in June, July and August. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy A total of 12 people have been killed in ORV-related accidents in Manitoba over the past five years, with 633 children visiting the Children's Hospital ER in connection with these incidents since 2011. Dr. Lynn Warda, a Winnipeg pediatric emergency physician, said Wednesday that Children's Hospital, as the only trauma centre for children in Manitoba, sees the worst of ORV cases from across the province. 'ORV injuries are some of the most serious injuries we see. The speed and size of the vehicle leads to high impact collisions and rollovers, so the riders often have multiple injuries. 'This might include a head injury, broken bones, and lacerations, some needing surgery or admission to hospital. These injuries can lead to long-term disability when the head or spine is injured.' Young people between 14-16 can legally ride on ORVs, MPI said, but they must be supervised and accompanied by a parent or someone else over 18. Anyone 15-and-a-half or older with a valid learner stage driver's licence can operate an ORV without supervision, but there are some restrictions.
