Dr. Dundugula has arrived and is settling into practice at North Saskatchewan River Health Holdings Ltd. clinics, board members were informed at a June 11 meeting.

He will be returning to Scotland Aug. 4 to help his family move and they will be arriving back in the Northwest the third week of August.

“We encourage the community to provide them with a warm welcome and help them feel at home in their new country,” the board states in a press release.

Dr. Tshatshela is working through the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment process and it is anticipated he will start his practice by mid-August.

Prairie North Health Region is also in the process of working through the immigration process with a physician to provide three-month locum services through the summer.

PNHR and the Health Holdings board have approved extended hours for the Riverside clinic that will be by appointment only on most Mondays and Wednesdays until Aug. 1. Dr. Dandugula and the staff have agreed to provide this service through the busy summer period.

Administrator Pat Guenther and board member Ronald Gory reported on a Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society informational meeting held at Marshall's Ambulance in St. Walburg June 5. STARS will provide a safe, rapid and highly specialized medical transport system for critically ill and injured patients.

The next meeting of the board is July 23 at the RM of Mervin office in Turtleford.