ACAO Launches New Walk-In Clinic

Group photo of Black community leaders at the ACAO clinic launch

Thursday 10 September, 2026

ACAO Launches New Walk-In Clinic to Expand Health-Care Access for Ottawa’s Black Community

By Obasola Bamigbola, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A new health-care access point opened its doors at the African Canadian Association of Ottawa (ACAO) on Thursday, September 10, 2026, offering Ottawa residents a low-barrier option for primary and preventive health services. In partnership with the South-East Ottawa Community Health Centre, the weekly walk-in clinic at ACAO’s 888 Belfast Road office is designed particularly to support people without a family doctor and others who may face barriers accessing conventional healthcare services.

The clinic will operate every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is open to Ottawa residents of all ages. Services include general health assessments, chronic disease screening, mental health support, referrals to specialists and community resources, sexual and reproductive health services, preventive screening, prescription renewals, and treatment for minor illnesses and injuries.

Welcoming guests, ACAO Community Outreach Coordinator Sibylle Tsayem highlighted the significance of bringing health services into a community setting. ACAO representatives, including Chief Servant Officer Hector Addison and Board Chair Serge Banyongen, emphasized the organization’s continuing commitment to responding to the practical needs of Ottawa’s African, Caribbean and Black communities. Banyongen encouraged attendees to spread the word about the new service so that residents who could benefit from it are aware of the opportunity.

For Addison, the clinic represents another step in ACAO’s efforts to remove barriers to essential services. He noted that people can access the clinic without an OHIP card, with Interim Federal Health Program coverage accepted, while individuals without insurance may also be able to receive care. The clinic prioritizes people without a family physician.

Nurse Practitioner Tracy Rizok, who will staff the clinic, explained that the initiative goes beyond treating immediate health concerns. Patients can receive physical assessments and, where appropriate, have blood work, X-rays and other diagnostic investigations ordered. The clinic can also provide referrals and help patients navigate pathways toward longer-term primary care.

Rizok said preventive health is an important component of the initiative, including cancer screening conversations involving cervical, breast and colorectal health, as well as lung health. The clinic can also provide support for mental health concerns and musculoskeletal complaints. Where appropriate, patients may be connected with other programs offered through the health centre, including services related to sickle cell disease.

South-East Ottawa Community Health Centre representatives Rizok and Nurse Sylvie Nghabe also emphasized that the clinic is intended to be welcoming and accessible in both English and French. Nghabe will support vaccination services, including the centre’s monthly immunization clinic.

Beginning October 2, routine and catch-up vaccinations for babies, children, youth and adults will be offered on the first Friday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon. Seasonal flu vaccination and TB skin testing will also be available, with vaccines provided free of charge.

Michelle James, Coordinator of the Ottawa Black Mental Health Coalition, welcomed the initiative as an example of services being delivered in places where community members already feel connected and supported. She noted ACAO’s longstanding role in helping newcomers and residents navigate a range of needs, from health and mental health to housing, food and settlement supports.

Representing Ottawa Public Health, Luc Malemo, Coordinator of Community Engagement for the African, Caribbean and Black community, also applauded the initiative by ACAO and South-East Ottawa Community Health Centre

The clinic’s opening reflects a broader effort to bring health-care access closer to residents. It’s an opportunity to connect with preventive services, referrals, and longer-term supports. As Addison put it, ACAO’s doors are open to the community, and every Thursday, those doors now lead toward health and well-being.

[

See image gallery at blackottawascene.com

]

The post ACAO Launches New Walk-In Clinic appeared first on Black Ottawa Scene.