SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Consultations on possible changes to the territory's health system are revealing an array of needs among the communities.

Josephine Mackenzie, left, Stephanie Poole, Sandra Lockhart and Shaleen Woodward took part in an all-day dialogue between health authorities and community representatives as a start to change the health care system. - Kira Curtis/NNSL photo

Where in the capital homelessness, addiction and mental health facilities take centre stage, communities such as Lutsel K'e and Dettah are concerned with changing diets and suicide prevention.

The Department of Health and Social Services and the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority met on Dec. 3 with approximately 20 people from Yellowknife, Ndilo, Dettah, Lutsel K'e and Fort Resolution to discuss what the health care system should focus on in the region. Similar meetings have already been held in the Tlicho, Yellowknife, Deh Cho, Fort Smith, Hay River and the Sahtu.

Stephanie Poole, a resident from Lutsel K'e, said year-round access to a traditional diet is essential to the health of her community.

"We should be eating the foods that we are meant to eat," she said. "The traditional food is like medicine."

Poole added the system must be made more accessible to aboriginals, saying language and cultural education are important to assisting elders.

Although she is not in the health care industry, Poole said she knows her community and thought it was important to attend.

"You have to make sure the voice is heard from your community," she said as the day-long meeting wrapped up.

The question now is what will be done with this input?

But making the health care system more efficient may hinge on the level of communication governments have with these communities and how it implements changes in each region.

Damien Healy, with the Department of Health and Social Services, said though a picture is starting to form, the process is still in its infancy and no changes in the health care system are being brought to the table yet. He is expecting to report back to the communities with a final report early in the new year.

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