Menopause clinic in Manitoba may support full spectrum of life transition

The Manitoba budget includes a $5.2 million commitment for a specialized menopause clinic in south Winnipeg, and a local advocate says the service should be holistic—covering education, supports and care beyond hormone therapy.

Manitoba's provincial budget includes $5.2 million to build a specialized menopause clinic in south Winnipeg. A menopause wellness advocate in Winnipeg says the clinic should address the full spectrum of the life transition rather than only hormone replacement therapy. She is asking for supports that include education for women, employers and family doctors. The Mature Women's Centre that provided menopause transition services closed in 2017, leaving gaps in local care. Key details: - The NDP government committed $5.2 million toward a specialized menopause clinic in south Winnipeg in the provincial budget. - Louise Neil, founder of the Menopause Doula, said menopause is "a life transition, not a medical condition," and urged that the clinic offer supports beyond hormone therapy, including education and nonclinical resources. - Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said the clinic will provide "comprehensive, interdisciplinary care" and aims to rebuild access to clinical care, education and coordinated services in one place. - The Mature Women's Centre at Victoria Hospital in Winnipeg was closed in 2017 during a provincial health-care overhaul, which proponents say left Manitobans without a dedicated local resource. - Neil estimated there are more than 120,000 women in perimenopause in the province and said a single clinic will not meet all needs. Summary: The budget pledge is intended to create an interdisciplinary clinic offering clinical care, education and coordinated services. Advocates emphasize the need for broader supports and training for family doctors and employers and say one clinic is only a start. More details about what the clinic will include and where it will be located will be announced soon.