The Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) celebrated the grand opening of its MEDOCare Pharmacy in Dauphin with a ribbon cutting ceremony, Friday afternoon.

Vice-president of the Northwest Region and MMF Minister of Health and Wellness, and Early Learning and Child Care Frances Chartrand said the pharmacy has been in the works for several years

“Our Elders and seniors spoke about us having a pharmacy, having our own economic bills, our own economic development. And to also ensure that we provide programs and health services for them,” she said.

“So it’s a reality today.”

Funding, Chartrand said, was provided by the Red River Métis government.

“When we built the government’s office in the centre of the city of Dauphin, what we decided to do was the Elders and seniors talk about their prescriptions. We run a prescription drug program. So then we decided for it to be feasible to be one of our businesses that we would run directly out of our site,” she said.

Located at 422 Main Street South, the entrance to the pharmacy is on the south side of the building facing 5th Ave. SE. It is also wheelchair accessible via a ramp at the back of the building.

For now, the pharmacy is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“And we’re going to look at opening Saturdays or Sundays, but that will be down the road,” Chartrand said, adding the pharmacy is open to anyone in the Parkland.

“I’m so happy it’s in the City of Sunshine. I’m just excited. I just love making sure we have full support from the city. We have support from the RM and we have support from all the citizens in the City of Sunshine and the Parkland area,” Chartrand said.

Read the full story in this weeks Dauphin Herald.