Kakisa remains without nurse
Territory on the hook for vacant health room while elders forced to travel for medical attention
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, October 1, 2015
KA'A'GEE TU/KAKISA
Three weeks after Kakisa band members revealed their monthly visits from a Fort Providence nurse had stopped, the Department of Health and Social Services said it is getting ready to resume nursing visits.
Kakisa Chief Lloyd Chicot says community members are concerned over a lack of nursing visits from Fort Providence Health Centre. - April Hudson/NNSL photo
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On Sept. 10, band manager Ruby Jumbo said the community was told nursing visits had ceased over the summer due to a shortage of nurses at the Fort Providence Health Centre.
That has created hardship on community elders who now have to travel to Fort Providence or Hay River for checkups and treatment.
The Department of Health and Social Services did not respond to requests for a phone interview but stated in an e-mail that Kakisa residents have historically received nursing services in Fort Providence.
Department spokesperson Umesh Sutendra said it was in the summer of 2014 that Fort Providence began sending a nurse to Kakisa to address health issues related to smoke from wildfires.
"Ever since, the (department) has been working to establish a program which will be inclusive of visits by community health nurses on a weekly basis for one day, and a physician on a monthly basis," Sutendra said.
Sutendra said the Fort Providence branch was short-staffed over the summer, with one nursing position vacant.
Jumbo also said the department has been renting a room from Kakisa for years but the room has been sitting vacant due to a lack of furniture.
"The purpose of that room was for a doctor to come in once per month, (but) it is empty," she said.
Kakisa elder Margaret Leishman said the situation needs to be dealt with soon.
"Living in a community without services is like playing with fire," she said.
Chief Lloyd Chicot said community members have been coming by the band office to express their concerns with the situation.
"You don't hear from smaller communities unless someone makes an issue out if it," he said.
Sutendra confirmed the department has been renting a room at a rate of $1,400 per month from the community as office space for the community health representative.
He said that position is funded by the department, which contracts a member of the band to serve as the health representative.
On May 26, department staff were in Kakisa to assess furniture needs for the room they rent.
"(The department) is currently in the process of furnishing the room. It is expected that this process will be completed by early October," Sutendra said.
Nursing visits are expected to resume shortly after.
