The First Nations Health Authority is informing front-line workers about its Quality Care and Safety Office, offering support to Indigenous people as they navigate through the health care system in the province.
“The goal of the First Nations Health Authority’s Quality Care and Safety Office is to improve health and wellness programs and services for First Nations people across B.C.,” wrote the FNHA in an email to Ha-Shilth-Sa.
First Nations people living on reserve who had water advisories for extended periods of time could be eligible for compensation if they lived somewhere listed in the settlement agreement.
According to the First Nations Drinking Water Class Action website, the courts have approved a settlement. The agreement is between Canada and certain First Nations, concerning members who were subject to a drinking water advisory that lasted at least one year between November 20, 1995, and June 20, 2021.
Despite comprising a relatively small portion of the House of Commons, the federal NDP is in a position to “disproportionally” represent the interests of coastal residents and First Nations in Ottawa, says the party’s leader during a recent visit to Port Alberni.
With COVID-19, Influenza, and RSV circulating throughout the winter season, communities are combating the ‘tridemic,’ by encouraging folks to stay at home and self-isolate when they feel sick to protect their vulnerable populations.
Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation recently released a statement indicating that though it “isn’t in a state of emergency”, members are experiencing an increase in COVID-19, Influenza, and RSV. The statement serves as a reminder of ways to help prevent the spread of respiratory disease within the community.
A longitudinal project delving into the factors that determine a person’s lifelong health has received a large grant to study the early years of Nuu-chah-nulth participants.
First Nations leaders and the provincial government have been working to eradicate racism directed at Indigenous people in public health care settings, after a report documenting disturbing incidents caught the attention of lawmakers in late 2020.
“In November 2020, the In Plain Sight (IPS) report was published which contained overwhelming evidence of Indigenous-specific systemic racism in the B.C. health system,” stated Health Minister Adrian Dix stated in a follow-up report last month.
After a week and a half of closure due to an influenza outbreak, both Ahousaht schools have welcomed their students and staff back for regular classes.
During the time of the closure both schools were deeply sanitized, and they continue to clean high-touch surfaces, explained Rebecca Atleo, Ahousaht’s education director.
Students and staff of Maaqtusiis elementary and secondary schools were sent home today due to high numbers of flu cases.
Of the 238 students attending both the elementary and high school, only 41 showed up for school on Monday morning.
“Unfortunately, Ahousaht has been hit hard with this nasty flu bug and has affected the attendance in our schools. We closed last week due to low attendance in all departments of the school system,” said Ahousaht Education Director Rebecca Atleo.
In March of 2002 Matilda Atleo began her journey with Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council (NTC) in the nursing department. Prior to that, Atleo was working as a caterer after going to culinary school. At the time she catered to the nursing department at the NTC and sought out a volunteer position there.
Atleo endearingly shares, “I kept bugging her,” asking Jeannette Watts, manager of Nursing Services at NTC, if she could volunteer.
Atleo started out doing data input, which would begin 20 years of work dedicated to the health of Nuu-chah-nulth communities.
British Columbians who have a family doctor can count themselves fortunate, as about 20 per cent of the population - or one in five people - have no regular family physician to go to, according to the BCFamilyDocs website.
The shortage of family physicians is nation-wide problem and is being felt more acutely over the past two years during the pandemic, when COVID-19 cases added pressure to the health care system
But there are other reasons for the doctor shortage, including the fact that there are fewer medical school graduates.