Byram pushing for CT scanner at Neepawa hospital

The Progressive Conservative MLA for Agassiz is urging the NDP government to provide funding for a CT scanner at the Neepawa Health Centre, despite the province ruling it out less than two years ago.

Jodie Byram most recently brought up the need for the hospital to have its own computed tomography scanner during a session at the Manitoba Legislative Building last week.

Neepawa and surrounding communities would benefit from the addition of the diagnostic equipment because it would allow further treatment and diagnosis to take place in the community, reduce patient wait times and alleviate the burden of travel to other facilities, Byram said.

“It’s going to save lives. It takes pressure off other areas like Brandon (and) Winnipeg, where there is a bit of a backlog,” she said on Thursday.

As the community in Neepawa grows, more people will be relying on the hospital for medical care, she said.

“I think it’s important that we have the tools ready to serve the public when the time comes and be able to facilitate the care that’s needed.”

The population of Neepawa is more than 5,600 people, according to the latest census data.

The Brandon Regional Health Centre, Dauphin Regional Health Centre and the Swan Valley Health Centre are the only three hospitals in the Prairie Mountain Health region that have CT scanners, a spokesperson for the health authority said.

CT scanners work by using X-rays from several angles to create detailed, three-dimensional images of structures inside the body, including bones, organs and blood vessels. The equipment is used to perform critical diagnostic procedures for a wide range of injuries and diseases.

Byram said the new equipment will be able to complete these scans faster and with clearer images for patients.

Requests for new diagnostic imaging equipment, including CT scanners, go through a detailed assessment process, a spokesperson for Shared Health said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Decisions about where to place diagnostic imaging equipment in Manitoba are based on a combination of factors, including population and patient needs, the location of other diagnostic equipment in nearby communities, and the ability of staff to maintain the skills needed to run the equipment properly,” the statement said.

The provincial health agency reviewed the potential need for a CT scanner in Neepawa in May 2024 and found it “would not be fully utilized at this time.”

Shared Health said it will continue to assess and review the hospital’s clinical needs and if the circumstances change, a new assessment will be completed to re-evaluate the decision.

“Our focus is always on ensuring patients receive the care they need, and that people across Manitoba are able to access diagnostic services and high-quality care, regardless of where they live,” the statement said.

Assessments for new equipment are done in consultation with regional health authorities and their clinical programs to review current and future needs, a spokesperson for Prairie Mountain Health said.

The spokesperson did not comment on whether Neepawa would benefit from having a CT scanner and if it would reduce wait times for other areas in Westman.

Neepawa Mayor Brian Hedley said council was “disappointed” to learn the hospital wasn’t going to get a CT scanner anytime soon following the 2024 assessment.

“I just remember our doctors (saying) it makes their job a lot easier by having access to a machine like that,” he said, adding that a room has been set aside for future diagnostic equipment at the Neepawa Health Centre.

Provincial data from December last year show there were 2,296 people waiting for a CT scan in Brandon, with 388 waiting in Dauphin and 25 in Swan River.

People wait two weeks for a scan at the Brandon hospital and three weeks for one at the facility in Dauphin, the data show. There was no estimated wait time for patients at the Swan Valley Health Centre.

The Brandon hospital completed 15,911 CT scans from April 2025 to March 2026, while the Dauphin Regional Health Centre completed 9,987 in that same period.

Byram said construction for the expansion of the Neepawa Health Centre is still underway, with a target completion date set for spring 2027. The new facility will nearly double the size of the existing hospital and have expanded ER services.

“I had doctors call me from outside of province just to really make sure that … what they were reading was true, that we’re going to have a new hospital without high tech,” she said.

“They just couldn’t believe that.”

Local access to health-care services such as specialized diagnostic equipment draws people to the community, Byram said.

The current hospital has an emergency department that’s open 24-7, along with palliative care, surgical and maternity units. Patients can also access chemotherapy and community rehabilitation services at the facility.

The Brandon Sun reached out to the health minister for comment on Wednesday, but they didn’t respond.

» tadamski@brandonsun.com