The Ngiisdla Naay, Kasaan Healing House is seen after the dedication.
The SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium recently opened a new clinic on Prince of Wales Island.
The Kasaan clinic is a prototype “micro clinic” designed for communities with small year-round populations. The clinic construction cost about $1.8 million, with funding from the Denali Commission, SEARHC, the Organized Village of Kasaan, and the Indian Health Service Tribal Equipment fund.
The new 1,000 square foot clinic replaces the 250-foot facility, which was too small for gurneys or stretchers, storage or a provider office.
According to SEARHC, the new space has two exam rooms, one equipped for dental care; a locked lab and pharmacy space, an office, a covered ambulance bay, and is equipped for telemedicine. It also will cost less to operate, because it was built to maximize energy efficiency.
Jon Wunrow, Project Manager for the Organized Village of Kasaan and Tessa Axelson, Senior Program Manager for the Denali Commission, cut the ribbon as Richard Peterson (far right), President of the Organized Village of Kasaan looks on.
