Chris Puglia
Northern News Services

Norman Wells (Sep 16/02) - The Sahtu region is still having trouble attracting a permanent doctor.

For the past seven years, physicians have been travelling to Sahtu communities on a regular basis to stage four-day clinics.

"This is how services are done in every region," said Deborah McLeod, director of population health with the Inuvik Health and Social Services Authority.

"The way it works is a physician will go monthly to a place like Norman Wells and do a four-day clinic."

The problem with stationing a doctor right in Norman Wells and the other Sahtu communities has been recruitment and retention, and McLeod said over the years the region has tried to hire a physician for the region.

However, the efforts have not been very successful.

In the meantime the areas are serviced by community nursing stations.

"There are nurses that hold clinics and in consultation with a physician they will determine is this a condition that could be fit into the physician's regularly scheduled visit," said McLeod.

If the condition is deemed to be more serious, McLeod said, it is arranged for the patient to travel out to see a physician.

The method of travel would depend on the severity of the case.

"They could go out on a regular scheduled flight or they may be medevaced," said McLeod.