ELK POINT - The past five years “have gone by very fast, even though COVID stole those two years,” says Dr. Adenike Ashaolu, as she prepares to close her practice in Elk Point on April 30.
Elk Point “has been a lovely community to be part of,” she says. “When I first came here, I was in the Co-op one day and when I got to the checkout, I found I had forgotten my purse. A kind lady took me home with my groceries and brought me back with my purse to pay for them. You don’t see that in the city.”
She’s benefited by even more generosity as time went on. “People are so nice, every year I get vegetables, tomatoes and pickles brought to me.”
Dr. Ashaolu’s family was also warmly welcomed to the community. Her son wrapped up his high school years at F. G. Miller High School with the honour of singing O Canada at his class’ graduation ceremonies, and her oldest daughter enjoyed her involvement with Elk Point Municipal Library and its summer reading program. But now, with her son in college and both daughters attending school in Edmonton, the doctor has made the difficult decision to leave her practice and rejoin her family, stating in a letter to her patients, “It is with mixed emotions that I am announcing that my medical practice at the Comfort Clinic in Elk Point will close on April 30, 2024.”
Understanding that the change may cause inconvenience and apologizing for any disruption in care, Dr Ashaolu said her goal is “to ensure that you continue to received the high quality care you have come to expect from my practice,” and is transferring patients’ care to Dr. Ebisike, who shares the clinic with her and who has agreed to continue with their care if the patients choose to work with him.
“All they have to do is call and book an appointment.”
With that change in mind, “I don’t want people to panic. For prescription refills, I will try to get a year of prescriptions lined up for everybody. I’m hoping that before that year is up, another new doctor will be here.”
Asked if she plans to set up a practice in Edmonton, she says, “At this point I don’t know, I’m taking some time off to consider my options, and maybe when I’m an empty nester, I’ll come back here.”
Although she is leaving the community, she is a strong advocate for health care in Elk Point and suggests that it could be time to advocate for new equipment for the hospital. “The hospital management is working hard on staffing and I’m really impressed that they are able to attract such good staff.”
Dr. Ashaolu is also very much in favour of the Town of Elk Point’s plans for a new medical clinic, with work currently underway on a transformation of the former RCMP barracks just east of the Town’s administration office.
“Then there will be three doctors all under one roof, and we’re are all on board with that. It will be a modernized structure that could also have space for physiotherapy, mental health and a nutritionist. I am grateful to the Town for having this idea.”
Clinic plans progressing
Mayor Parrish Tung reports that the building’s renovation “is in the hands of the architect. We are waiting for the first draft and will present it to our doctors for their feedback.” He feels the new clinic “is needed, as we have an opportunity to have all the doctors working from the same facilities. This may save on their operating costs and promote communication between the doctors in regards to patient care.”
The mayor says the existing clinic is “in dire need of upgrades which AHS has no intention to do. As such, in order to attract doctors to come and work in our town, Town council and the County council feel it’s a needed project to promote better medical care for our area residents.”
