# Manitoba Health

Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long–Term Care (formerly Health, and Seniors Care, MHSC; also known as Manitoba Health) is the department of the Government of Manitoba that is responsible for leading the development of policy and publicly administered health system planning in the province of Manitoba; the overall funding, performance requirements, oversight, and accountability within the system; promoting prevention and positive health practices; and administering other non-devolved health services in the province.
The department operates under the Minister of Health, who has been Uzoma Asagwara as of October 2023. The Chief Provincial Public Health Officer, Brent Roussin (current as of 2021), serves under the Minister and Deputy Minister of Health.
The department is the authoritative agency in the province regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in Manitoba.

## Overview

Manitoba Health funds a social program that is delivered partially by the department and partially through grant agencies, arm's-length service delivery organizations (SDOs), independent physicians, or other service providers paid via fee-for-service or alternate means. Most direct services are delivered through the Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) and other health care organizations. Manitoba Health, on the other hand, directly delivers only a small portion of the program itself, particularly managing the direct operations of Selkirk Mental Health Centre, Cadham Provincial Laboratory, and 3 northern nursing stations. The department also administers such non-devolved health services as Pharmacare, insured benefits, fee-for-service physician services, etc. The ultimate result is an intricate combination of insured benefits, funded services provided via public institutions—ranging from community-based primary care to third-party teaching hospitals—and publicly regulated but privately provided services, such as for-profit personal care homes.
Manitoba Health also plays a role in policy, planning, funding, and oversight that ensures that SDOs (e.g., RHA, CancerCare Manitoba, Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, and over 100 primarily non-profit organizations) are accountable to provide high-quality services at a reasonable cost.

## Minister of Health

The Minister of Health is the cabinet minister responsible for Manitoba Health, guided by the Public Health Act of Manitoba.
List of Health Ministers in Manitoba :
| Name | Party | Took office | Left office | Official title |
| Charles Cannon | UFM/Prog | November 19, 1924 | September 9, 1927 | Minister of Health |
| Edward Montgomery | UFM/Prog | November 19, 1924 | September 9, 1927 | Minister of Health and Public Welfare |
| Isaac Griffiths | Lib-Prog | May 28, 1935 | November 4, 1940 | Minister of Health and Public Welfare |
| James McLenaghen | PC | November 4, 1940 | February 5, 1944 | Minister of Health |
| Ivan Schultz | Lib-Prog | February 5, 1944 | November 7, 1952 | Minister of Health |
| Francis Bell | Lib-Prog | November 7, 1952 | January 25, 1955 | Minister of Health and Public Welfare |
| Robert Bend | Lib-Prog | January 25, 1955 | June 30, 1958 | Minister of Health and Public Welfare |
| George Johnson | PC | June 30, 1958 | December 9, 1963 | Minister of Health and Public Welfare |
| Charles Witney | PC | December 9, 1963 | September 24, 1968 | Minister of Health |
| George Johnson | PC | September 24, 1968 | July 15, 1969 | Minister of Health |
| Sidney Green | NDP | July 15, 1969 | December 18, 1969 | Minister of Health and Social Development |
| Rene Toupin | NDP | December 18, 1969 | January 28, 1974 | Minister of Health and Social Development |
| Saul Miller | NDP | January 28, 1974 | December 23, 1974 | Minister of Health and Social Development |
| Laurent Desjardins | NDP | December 23, 1974 | October 24, 1977 | Minister of Health and Social Development |
| Louis Sherman | PC | October 24, 1977 | November 30, 1981 | Minister of Health and Social Development (till Oct 1978) Minister of Health and Community Services (till Nov 15, 1979) |
| Laurent Desjardins | NDP | November 30, 1981 | September 21, 1987 | Minister of Health |
| Wilson Parasiuk | NDP | September 21, 1987 | May 9, 1988 | Minister of Health |
| Donald Orchard | PC | May 9, 1988 | September 10, 1993 | Minister of Health |
| James McCrae | PC | September 10, 1993 | January 6, 1997 | Minister of Health |
| Darren Praznik | PC | January 6, 1997 | February 5, 1999 | Minister of Health |
| Eric Stefanson | PC | February 5, 1999 | October 5, 1999 | Minister of Health |
| David Chomiak | NDP | October 5, 1999 | October 12, 2004 | Minister of Health |
| Tim Sale | NDP | October 12, 2004 | September 28, 2006 | Minister of Health |
| Theresa Oswald | NDP | September 28, 2006 | October 18, 2013 | Minister of Health |
| Erin Selby | NDP | October 18, 2013 | November 3, 2014 | Minister of Health |
| Sharon Blady | NDP | November 3, 2014 | May 3, 2016 | Minister of Health |
| Kelvin Goertzen | PC | May 3, 2016 | July 31, 2018 | Minister of Health, Seniors and Active Living |
| Cameron Friesen | PC | August 1, 2018 | January 5, 2021 | Minister of Health, Seniors and Active Living |
| Heather Stefanson | PC | January 5, 2021 | August 18, 2021 | Minister of Health and Seniors Care |
| Audrey Gordon | PC | August 18, 2021 | January 18, 2022 | Minister of Health and Seniors Care |
| Audrey Gordon | PC | January 18, 2022 | October 18, 2023 | Minister of Health |
| Uzoma Asagwara | NDP | October 18, 2023 | incumbent | Minister of Health, Seniors, and Long-term Care |