The province recently announced the addition of 19 primary health care physicians and three specialists for the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority.

"Many of them are already in place," says Chief Executive Officer Ron Van Denakker. "All of them will be in place before the end of the calendar year. It's been a tough road. people who have been following our physician shortages. We've done a lot of different things to try to improve our situation. I don;'t want to mislead people to think we're out of the woods, because we're not. But this is certainly a step in the right direction."

He explains the doctors are in addition to those already present, and adds he can't think of any situation where a doctor is leaving. Van Denakker adds there have been no recent resignations.

Hospitals getting additions:

2 in Ashern
1 in Eriksdale
1 in Arborg
2 in Teulon
2 in Stonewall
2 in Selkirk
2 in Beausejour
3 in Pine Falls
3 in Gimli 
1 in Brokenhead

The three specialists will be in Selkirk who are over palliative care, surgical and hospital services.