First Nations leaders declare state of emergency amid nursing shortage in Northern Manitoba
A state of emergency on health services has been declared by First Nations leaders in northern Manitoba.
The Keewatinohk Inniniw Okimowin Council’s (KIOC) declaration covers their 23 First Nations and comes after a two-day meeting to discuss health-related concerns.
“In Cross Lake, we had to close our nursing station. That’s one of the reasons why we’re declaring a state of emergency in health,” says Chief David Monias, interim chairperson for the KIOC, detailing the rippling effect the nursing shortage is having on the care they can provide.
Part of the Council’s proposed solution is for the province to allow the communities more control over their health care decisions.
“We can provide our own professionals, our own administrators, our own knowledge keepers to work with us,” says Dr. Barry Lavallee, CEO of Keewatinohk Inniniw Minoayawin Inc. “We’re not afraid to take over a system that will deliver care to ourselves.”
Because of the shortage of nurses, those that are there are overwhelmed as they manage as best they can.
“Right now, we are allotted sixteen nurses for clinical care in Cross Lake,” Monias said. “We currently have four that have to work 24 hours. So you’re looking at maybe two nurses staffing a nursing station for 12 hours each.”
Aside from a lack of nurses, there are additional challenges the Indigenous communities are attempting to manage, the most prevalent being discrimination.
“Pre-pandemic, we’ve always been concerned about the lack of efficient, racism-free primary care services to First Nations,” said Lavalee. “Not only in communities but also at the secondary tertiary referral sectors.”
He adds discussions are ongoing with their leaders to develop new models of primary care.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Northern Health Region said they look forwarding to continuing its partnership with MKO and KIM.
The partnership includes several initiatives, such as a co-planning process on sustainable health-care delivery in the region, creation of a wisdom council, and ending anti-Indigenous racism in health-care.
“We understand, and we all want these solutions implemented without delay but it will take work and time to solve this very complex, multifaceted issues,” the spokesperson said.
“We are committed to working with all of our partners, especially our Indigenous communities and leadership to find and implement sustainable solutions that meet the health needs of the people we serve.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Explosion at train station leads to discovery of stolen car on Montreal's South Shore: police
Police are investigating after a BMW exploded in the St-Lambert Exo train station parking lot on Montreal's South Shore.