The Cherokee Nation hosted an open house for its new $10 million Wilma P. Mankiller Health Center addition on Wednesday.
The 28,000-square-foot expansion nearly doubles the size of the existing health center in Stilwell. The new building will house primary care, lab and radiology. Radiology features a new X-ray machine that conducts bone density tests in order to better diagnose and treat osteoporosis.
“The long-term impact of this expanded health center means we will be able to offer Cherokee Nation citizens more and better services for years to come,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker. “The largest per capita population of Cherokees is right here in Adair County, and while the old Mankiller clinic was serviceable, it was overburdened. However, today, with new patient space and better equipment, we can see more people and make those visits faster and more comprehensive. We have a mission to build a healthier tribal nation, increase life expectancy and lower the number of Cherokees suffering from chronic disease.”
In 2014, the Wilma P. Mankiller Health Center received 120,000 patient visits and filled more than 220,000 prescriptions, ranking it the second highest use among the tribe’s eight health centers.