Halifax’s Newcomer Clinic for refugees gets boost in provincial funding

Michelle Thompson, Nova Scotia’s minister of health and wellness, makes a funding announcement in Halifax on Aug. 9, 2022. (Mike Lamb/CTV)

The Nova Scotia government is boosting its funding for the Newcomer Health Clinic in Halifax.

The province is set to spend an additional $684,000 annually — tripling the clinic's budget to more than $1 million.

The clinic, which provides preventive and primary health care to government-assisted refugees, privately-sponsored refugees and refugee claimants, currently has 2,715 patients.

"We have a responsibility to ensure the health and safety of everyone in our province. This includes people who have fled their country in search of safety in Nova Scotia," said Michelle Thompson, Nova Scotia’s minister of health and wellness, in a news release.

Previously, the clinic's annual operating budget was $340,000. The province spent $50,000 with the rest coming from other partners.

"Some of these patients have complex medical needs or are experiencing trauma. They may face language barriers or have not received proper medical care for years,” noted Thompson.

According to the province, the funding will be used for additional services and staff, including:

• a social worker who can help match newcomers to the right service provider
• a family practice nurse to support more patients
• a co-ordinator to help families navigate services through the IWK Health Centre

At the clinic, refugees can get vaccinations, chronic disease management, and routine primary care. The province says the clinic works to transition patients to a family practice in the community within two years.

The funding is coming out of the 2022-2023 provincial budget.

The clinic has been in the Mumford Professional Centre since 2015. It’s a partnership between Nova Scotia Health, local physicians, the Immigrant Settlement Association of Nova Scotia, the Halifax Refugee Clinic and the IWK.