First Nations call for aid as they brace for virus
SASKATOON First Nations communities across the province say they’re cancelling events, gathering supplies and bracing for the arrival of COVID -19, which provincial leaders warn could be particularly devastating for remote communities with already-strained health care systems.
Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Chief Bobby Cameron said Friday that First Nations were implementing pandemic plans and cancelling public events in an effort to get ahead of the novel coronavirus, a day after the first presumed case in the province was detected.
He’s concerned that, as with many public health problems, First Nations will be under-resourced and disproportionately affected, he said.
“We need all the help we can get.” COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus that has swept across the globe in recent weeks, officially arrived in Saskatchewan this week when the province’s first presumptive case was identified on Thursday.
While there are no confirmed or presumptive cases among First Nations at this time, the arrival of the virus has sparked concerns among communities that already suffer from limited access to health services.
Dr. Caroline Tait, a medical anthropologist at the University of Saskatchewan, said pandemic planning on First Nations has improved since SARS in 2003 and the 2009 H1N1 outbreak, but the “compounding factors” that make First Nations vulnerable — poverty, poor housing and high rates of underlying health conditions — have not.
“The problem is that the social conditions that exacerbate these health crises have not gone away,” Tait said.
The FSIN is cancelling all its upcoming events to limit any potential spread of the virus, and said its non-essential employees work remotely for the immediate future.
Assembly of First Nations’ national chief Perry Bellegarde announced similar measures on Thursday.
Cameron said he wants to see expedited access to testing and medical support for First Nations, but it has not been forthcoming from the federal government.
“They do have a plan — but our message is we need to see the plan right now. We can’t wait for another two weeks,” Cameron said.
Indigenous Services Canada, which manages health services on First Nations, said it’s contacting regional health officials and First Nations to prepare for any potential surge.
Minister of Indigenous Services Marc Miller is an alternate member of the federal COVID-19 cabinet committee. A spokesperson said he is receiving regular updates about the virus.
“I hope when it does get here that First Nations are at the forefront, because they are the most vulnerable of the vulnerable,” FSIN Vicechief Heather Bear said.
Fond du Lac Denesuline First Nation Chief Louie Mercredi said he is “worried and scared” about the potential impact of the virus in a northern community such as his, accessible only by an ice road and a runway.
“We don’t have the resources that the rest of Canada does,” he said.
Tait said many communities also have limited health infrastructure, which means patients in far-off communities may face a flight before they can reach medical care.
“We’re panicking here in Saskatoon because we don’t want to overload the hospitals ... so imagine how you’d feel if there were no hospitals,” Tait said.
On Thursday Mercredi cancelled upcoming events and closed the community’s school for two weeks. He said the community is also stockpiling food in case of a shortage. The region is served by one hospital 80 kilometres away with a small number of doctors.