Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

IQALUIT (Jun 21/99) - The competition between two Nunavut communities to be headquarters for a new doctor has ended.

Baffin Regional Health and Social Services Board CEO Jarvis Hoult said the board has decided to assign Dr. Patti DeMaio to Pond Inlet rather than Iglulik.

"At no time during the board's deliberations did we say we would put a doctor in Iglulik," said Hoult, refuting suggestions that the board changed its mind.

Hoult said sending the doctor to Pond was a "financial and logistical and strategic business decision."

In addition to Pond Inlet, Dr. DeMaio will serve Nanisivik, Arctic Bay, Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord.

The cost-effectiveness of serving those communities is largely the result of the routes of the board's preferred airline, First Air.

First Air flies direct from Pond to the communities the doctor will be serving. If the doctor was located in Iglulik and served the same communities, said Hoult, the board would have to fly her through Iqaluit each trip out and back at considerably more expense.

Hoult said the decision was made three to four weeks ago and was based on a detailed financial study of the two options. Copies of the study were forwarded to both Iglulik and Pond Inlet about a week ago, said Hoult Thursday.

At that time, Hoult said he had yet to hear back from Iglulik, adding that he was unprepared to discuss the details of the study until he had spoken to hamlet officials in Iglulik.

"I don't want them to read it in the paper before they have a chance to talk to me," Hoult said.

Dr. DeMaio has four years experience doctoring in the Arctic under her belt, said Hoult, and is returning after a stint in the Yukon.

Hoult said Dr. DeMaio offered to return to Nunavut and work in a community.

"It's unique and most unusual in terms of physician recruitment and retention," said Hoult of the offer.