Santa Ana Pueblo’s $251 Million IHS Clinic Will Finally Bring Health Care Closer to Our Relatives

After more than three decades on a federal priority list, a new Indian Health Service facility is coming to Indian Country in central New Mexico.

Federal Officials Commit $22 Million To Launch Planning for the Albuquerque Indian Health Center West

On March 13, 2026, Santa Ana Pueblo leaders and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officials announced that a 235,000-square-foot outpatient clinic will be built on 20 acres of Pueblo land west of Albuquerque. The facility will serve Indigenous patients from the Zia, Jemez, Sandia, and Santa Ana Pueblos, offering dental, optometry, dialysis, diabetes care, telebehavioral health, and traditional healing services. HHS Senior Advisor Mark Cruz called it part of a $1 billion investment to address the IHS construction backlog, which totals roughly $8 billion across nine stalled projects nationwide. Santa Ana Pueblo Governor Myron Armijo said the need in the region is urgent, with the nearest IHS facility in Albuquerque already over capacity.

A 536-Employee Facility Built for Culturally Competent Care

The Albuquerque Indian Health Center West will employ an estimated 536 full-time staff by 2035 and cut drive times by more than half for members of five nearby Pueblos. For elders and families on Jemez Pueblo, the current 59-minute trip to the Albuquerque Indian Health Center has been a barrier to consistent Native health access for generations. This facility will integrate Native practitioners and culturally competent traditional healing alongside modern clinical care — exactly the model Indian Country deserves!

Ellsworth Stands With Tribal Communities Building Stronger Health Systems

At Ellsworth, a Native-owned small business and ISBEE-certified Indigenous medical staffing company, we know that new facilities need qualified, culture awareness-trained professionals to serve Our Relatives. From IHS hospitals to tribal self-governance clinics, Ellsworth connects Native populations with the culturally competent workforce that strengthens health care across Indian Country.