Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Feb 05/01) - A Fort McPherson teacher is dead and her family blames tuberculosis and inadequate medical care.
"We truly believe she could have survived," Maria Blake, the youngest daughter of Effie Blake, said from Inuvik.
Last summer Effie Blake spent a total of five weeks in Inuvik Regional Hospital, but her family said she was not diagnosed with TB until she was finally sent to the Stanton Regional Hospital in Yellowknife.
The 52-year-old grandmother was sent to Edmonton for treatment and died in hospital there July 18.
"There certainly was a delay in diagnosis," said Andre Corriveau, chief medical officer for the Northwest Territories.
The disease raged through the North and infected hundreds 50 years ago before it was brought under control. Blake was the first person from the territory to die of TB since 1994.
"In this day and age no one should die from TB," Corriveau said.
The GNWT did not issue a public health warning, but Fort McPherson health officials traced and tested all those who were in contact with Effie Blake. Some are being treated for TB..
The GNWT health department commissioned a report by Dr. Anne Fanning of the University of Alberta Hospital, an expert on tuberculosis.
Fanning's report is expected to go to Health Minister Jane Groenewegen this month. It will review the process for TB diagnosis.
"We're going to see if anything could have been done differently," said Corriveau.
He expects Fanning will make recommendations on how to improve the ability of front line medical staff to identify tuberculosis.
"As a department we have an up-to-date manual, it's up to boards, nurses and educators to relay the information," said Corriveau.
Arthur Blake said his mother made repeated visits to the Fort McPherson nursing station over the past two years with complaints of different ailments.
Blake's son said the nursing station sent his mother to Inuvik for medical attention last April. She was released after two weeks because hospital staff said they needed her bed.
"I phoned back, we really didn't want her to be let out, but they said there was nothing they could do," said Arthur Blake.
A few days later the hospital phoned and called Effie Blake in for more tests. After three weeks they sent her to Yellowknife, where she stayed for a week. Blake weighed 98 lbs when she was medevaced to Edmonton.
"Things could have been done differently," Arthur Blake said.
He last saw her alive in Yellowknife when he was being tested for TB. Two of Effie's grandchildren, Aden and Chase, are being treated for the disease.
"They told me she would be back in July," he said.
Maria Blake blames health officials for half-measures.
"Here it's always like that; they send them home and say 'it's nothing, it's nothing'," said Blake.
Two family members never got to see Effie before she died and the entire family is still reeling from the unexpected loss, her daughter said.
Born in Aklavik on March 15, 1943, Effie Blake lived most of her life in Fort McPherson. She left five children. Two live in Inuvik the rest in Fort McPherson. The family has consulted a lawyer.
- With a file from Tara Kearsey
