Indigenous midwives and their supporters gathered on the lawn of the 小蓝视频 legislature this week to raise awareness of a program they say is critical.
They want the Health Ministry and Island Health to fund four full-time midwifery contracts to ensure sustainable and equitable Indigenous-led care.
South Island Indigenous Midwifery Services closed its services to new referrals on May 30, citing unstable interim contracts, the last of which was Jan. 10 to May 30.
It said it has submitted proposals since July 2023 to secure four service contracts for full-scope midwifery care, but none were approved. In such contracts, the Health Ministry funds 75 per cent and Island Health pays 25 per cent.
Since the rally, Indigenous registered midwife Melanie Mason said the group has discovered that Island Health recently submitted a proposal to the Health Ministry for two service contracts for full-scope midwifery care.
“There was no communication from Island Health that [the interim contract] was extended,” Mason said Thursday, adding what’s being offered is half of what was requested to have a “robust, sustainable team.”
She said she hopes Island Health will deliver on a promise to expand to four positions when possible.
Such contract proposals must demonstrate community need and how to meet and measure it, according to the Health Ministry.
The proposals must also explain why a service contract is required, as opposed to billing the Medical Services Plan’s fee-for-service model, which is available to all midwives in 小蓝视频 who are registered with the payment plan.
Mason said much of the work in supporting young pregnant Indigenous women goes well beyond what’s in the MSP fee codes, such as driving clients to appointments, translating information or accompanying them to specialist appointments, which is why contracts are a must.
The Health Ministry said it is reviewing the application — no timeline was given for a decision — and Island Health will continue to support the service through an interim contract.
The ministry said there have been no funding cuts to the service, adding it recognizes the value of pregnant Indigenous women having access to culturally appropriate maternity care, and for both mothers and babies to have post-delivery health care services.
The Health Ministry also said Island Health will continue to offer space to South Island Indigenous Midwifery Services at Foundry Victoria, where Indigenous midwives can provide perinatal care to Foundry clients.
Foundry Victoria offers people ages 12 to 24 access to mental-health and substance-use support, primary care, peer support and social services. Mason said she has been a midwife to mothers as young as 15.
The Health Ministry’s mandate letter for 2025-2026 includes a commitment to improving the delivery of maternity and reproductive care, including supporting a that offers rural, remote and Indigenous primary care providers with 24/7 virtual access to family doctors with expertise in maternal/newborn care, and providing $2.5 million in ongoing renewable funding to the Midwives Association of 小蓝视频 to support Indigenous midwifery.
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