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Health Minister Sarah Hoffman says the NDP government wants to expand abortion services outside of the province’s two largest cities.

Currently, surgical abortions are performed only at the Kensington Clinic and Peter Lougheed Hospital in Calgary and the Woman’s Health Options clinic in Edmonton.

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In an interview this week, Hoffman said that’s a barrier to access for women outside of the two cities, especially those in remote communities.

She said there are discussions about expanding services into Alberta Health Services hospitals in Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie and Red Deer, though she wouldn’t say how far along those talks are.

“We want to ensure that where there are physicians who are willing to work in this space and where there are patients who need these services, that we find ways to provide them closer to home,” said Hoffman.

“We’ve communicated very clearly to the leadership at AHS that we believe it’s important for these services to be provided in regional hospitals as well.”