Surgical patients visiting Flin Flon General Hospital are in new – and experienced – hands.
Dr. Rashid Abulhoda took over as Flin Flon’s general surgeon on March 1 – and proudly so.
“I’m excited to be here,” he said. “[It’s] maybe a small city, but big-hearted, friendly and welcoming community, and to me and my family that is what matters most.”
Abulhoda completed his medical education in 2003 in Lebanon, where he subsequently practiced for six years.
Since 2014 he has been practicing in Manitoba, where he is licensed with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba.
Abulhoda, who will live in Flin Flon, is the hospital’s first full-time general surgeon since the two major northern Manitoba health authorities merged to create the Northern Health Region (NHR) in 2012.
He will provide coverage on site the majority of the time. When relief is required, a locum (temporary visiting surgeon) will be secured from the existing pool utilized by the NHR.
NHR spokeswoman Twyla Storey says Abulhoda’s residency in Flin Flon is a plus for patients.
“It is advantageous because a local physician has knowledge of the community and allows for continuity of care, which are beneficial in addressing the needs of patients in Flin Flon,” she said, adding that there is also a cost saving with a physician based in the community.
Early into his time in Flin Flon, Abulhoda is already full of praise for the “phenomenal health-care team” at the hospital.
“We will strive to provide the best general surgery care to everyone, aiming to contribute to a healthy and prosperous North,” he said.
