Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

NNSL (Apr 28/99) - The process of gathering regional input to put the framework in place for the federally-backed Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative has begun and Judith Ross, a senior program analyst for Health Canada's Northern Secretariat Medical Services Branch, was in the Keewatin earlier this month for an information gathering session.

The Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative is part of the $55 million earmarked over three years for a Canadian Diabetes Prevention and Control Strategy which federal Finance Minister Paul Martin announced in his last federal budget.

Ross said as part of the initiative, a steering committee has been working during the past year in partnerships with district health boards and is co-ordinating a series of consultations with key stakeholders, such as the one held in Rankin Inlet.

She said the five national aboriginal groups are leading a consultation process to get input from aboriginal people and an Inuit information/consultation session will be held in Cambridge Bay April 27-29.

"Representatives from all the Inuit jurisdictions are invited, including the three Nunavut regions," said Ross. "At the same time, the Medical Services Branch will be leading parallel courses with their own health professionals -- nurses and doctors, provincial and territorial nursing, medical and diabetic associations, universities that educate health professionals and health care delivering provincial and territorial partners.

"I'm here, to work in partnership with the government of Nunavut and local health boards to meet key people from the community who can provide input into what they think should be included in the program design for the various components of the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative."

Ross said the issue of diabetes in aboriginal people has become epidemic in First Nations communities. She said the problem is going to get worse and the cost, in terms of human suffering and pain as well as the financial drain on provincial and territorial governments from failing to deal with diabetes in aboriginal people, is what precipitated the government's commitment to put the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative in place.

"I heard from the group in Rankin Inlet that there is grave concern for the Inuit's future because of their drastic change in lifestyle. The number of diagnosed cases is just the tip of the iceberg. It's expected, that as the changes in lifestyle during the past 20 years become more evident, there will be much higher incidents reported.

"In Nunavut, the key is getting into the schools and having a healthy curriculum to prevent the problem. We have to act now and be proactive to minimize the damage down the road."