The Manitoba government is using a new report from the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) to highlight its work in improving dialysis services in the province.
The report, examing the period between April 2022 and March 2024 , found the Province wass not managing dialysis services in a manner that promotes efficiency.
“Even though dialysis is a life-sustaining service, the Province does not know if it is achieving the best results for patients and providing the best value for taxpayers,” Auditor General Tyson Shtykalo said in the report.
Shtykalo’s critique highlights the need for co-ordinated, provincewide oversight of dialysis services in Manitoba, and make several recommendations which would help achieve that.
It is work which is already under way, says Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara.
“Dialysis is life-sustaining care, and it requires strong provincial co-ordination to ensure patients receive safe, timely treatment no matter where they live,” Asagwara said.
“The OAG’s report examines a period marked by system strain and years of fragmented planning under the previous government. That was the reality we inherited. Since forming government, we have moved quickly to put proper structures in place, expand access to dialysis closer to home and build a system that is safer, more co-ordinated and focused on patient outcomes.”
Since 2024, the Manitoba government has established a provincial kidney health planning subcommittee, implemented standardized policy and procedure review processes, expanded education and training for kidney health staff, and strengthened supports for home-based dialysis.
These efforts are focused on improving patient outcomes, clarifying accountability, and ensuring dialysis services are delivered as efficiently and equitably as possible, the minister said.
Recent investments, including expanding dialysis services in Norway House Cree Nation, Asagwara said, reflect the Province’s commitment to addressing long-standing gaps in access to care, particularly in northern and Indigenous communities, while reducing the need for patients to travel far from home for treatment.
Shtykalo’s full report can be found online at www.oag.mb.ca/audit-reports.
