New walk-in clinic celebrates grand opening with local leaders

By Sam Odrowski

Orangeville residents looking for a local family doctor and walk-in medical services are in luck.

Chafford 200 Medical Center (195 Broadway), just celebrated its grand opening last Friday, July 9, and is currently accepting patients.

Dufferin–Caledon MP Kyle Seeback, Dufferin–Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones, and Orangeville Mayor Sandy Brown welcomed the new medical centre to the community with a ribbon cutting ceremony during its grand opening.

Mayor Brown noted the need for more walk-in clinics locally, as he's had several residents reach out to him about losing their family doctor.

“These types of walk-in clinics are needed because right now and certainly through the COVID period it was difficult to get in to see a doctor,” he said.

“You never know when you're going to have an ailment and when walk-in clinics are available for extended hours as these people are, it's very good for the community.”

In addition to walk-in services, the medical centre has a strong focus on family medicine and provides top notch child care, adult care, geriatrics, dermatology, vaccinations and general health care. Public health testing is also available for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) as well as COVID-19 – both rapid antigen testing and PCR. 

The medical centre plans on bringing in specialists such as pediatricians, gynecologists, and cardiologists on a monthly basis. 

The practice is also planning on bringing in an additional doctor over the next month and once they're brought on board, the clinic will operate seven days a week, instead of Monday to Saturday.

Patient intakes began on May 1 and Dr. Idris Alausa, who is part owner, noted that when himself and fellow owners, Dr. Adefarati Ajayi and Dr. Oluwole Adebajo, use to visit Orangeville to assist practicing colleagues, they saw the need for more family medicine and walk-in services locally.

“We saw that some of the doctors around here were retiring, some were moving away, and learned that especially patients were struggling to be registered with a family doctor, so we came together, came up with a plan,” said Dr. Alausa.

Construction began in November of last year and while the walk-in clinic was due to open February, the COVID-19 pandemic created some delays for construction crews, pushing its opening to May 1.

Dr. Ajayi noted that since opening, the community has been very welcoming and all of the practice's doctors see a strong future there.

“We're here to stay permanently, we are here to provide the best care possible,” he said.

Dr. Alausa, Dr. Ajayi and Dr. Adebajo received background training in Nigeria before moving to the U.K to specialize in family medicine, which they all practiced there for over 10 years.

Dr. Alausa said he's hopeful that Chafford 200 Medical Center will become a common name for local residents when they think of family medicine.

“Our goal is to set up a very strong family medicine network… we want to be one of the key players or the key player for provision of family medicine in Orangeville,” said Dr. Alausa. “We want to be the first clinic, anybody thinks of.”

The medical centre also operates a pharmacy, which is being led by Dr. Beena Kantawala, who is a part owner, and has operated the Orangeville Pharmasave (33A Brroadway #3) since 2015.

“We just love the community Orangeville has to offer. It has always been very warm and welcoming towards us as this is our second pharmacy in Orangeville,” Dr. Kantawala noted.

“The support and love towards small businesses has also been overwhelming and we are always here to support local employment and business. We just feel so blessed to be a part of this wonderful community.”

The pharmacy offers delivery throughout the GTA and free deliveries to Orangeville, Caledon, and surrounding towns.

As well, patients can receive one on one medication consulting. In addition, med checks and smoking cessations are offered free of charge. 

Dr. Snehal Kantawala, who is also a pharmacist that helps operate the local Pharmasave, said him and Dr. Beena Kantawala's experience with local patients has been great as Orangeville is a very cohesive community. 

During the pandemic, they worked to give back to the community, through the donation of 5,000 facemasks and 100 liters of sanitizing gel for the local hospital.

“We wanted the frontline warriors to be safe. That was a whole intention behind this,” noted Dr. Snehal Kantawal.

All of the doctors at Chafford 200 Medical Centre are happy to be serving Orangeville and look forward to providing medical care for many years to come.