Under pressure, Navajo Health System expands amid aging infrastructure, provider shortages

By Krista Allen | Jul 24, 2025 | Health |

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From crumbling hospitals to suicide prevention training, the Navajo Area Indian Health Service is juggling urgent health needs, outdated infrastructure, and ambitious efforts to strengthen its medical workforce across the Nation.

In a quarterly report submitted to the Council’s Summer Session on Monday, the agency outlined a wide range of high-stakes developments, from measles vaccination campaigns to the first federal residency program operated on tribal lands. The report covers activity from April through June and paints a picture of a health system under pressure but pushing ahead.

Facility reviews spark immediate action

At Gallup Indian Medical Center, an unannounced The Joint Commission survey in May identified multiple deficiencies, some tied to operations, others to the building’s 1959-era design. The survey required follow-up within 45 days, prompting the Navajo Area Office to create a strike team of subject matter experts to support the facility. GIMC’s leadership “undertook corrective actions to address the survey findings,” the report stated, and is now working with IHS Headquarters to ensure full compliance.

In June, another survey team visited the Shiprock Service Unit, which includes Northern Navajo Medical Center, Dzilth-Na-O-Dith-Hle Health Center, and Four Corners Regional Health Care Center. While the team flagged areas in need of improvement, no follow-up survey was mandated. Shiprock officials responded by drafting and enacting a corrective action plan, with a focus on long-term sustainability and compliance with federal healthcare standards.

To read the full article, please see the July 24, 2025, edition of the Navajo Times.

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