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HealthWellnessAboriginal7TuesdayNovember5201313111WW0OrderkeytagsandaddresslabelsatTheWarAmps1800250-3030waramps.caCharitableRegistrationNo.131969628RR0001ElizabethandAnnelise1918-20139years5TheWarAmpsTheWarAmpslegacyofamputeeshelpingamputeescontinuesthankstopublicsupportoftheKeyTagandAddressLabelService.DeneNationcallsforaccesstotraditionalhealersByMEAGANWOHLBERGWiththeonlyaddictionstreatmentcentreintheter-ritoryclosingdownDeneleadersarecallingformoreaccesstotraditionalhealersmedicinesandotherwellnesssupportsfromwhattheysaidisacurrentlyawednon-in-suredhealthbenetsNIHBprogram.TheNIHBprogramcoversmanyofthecostsofhealthservicesprovidedthroughtreatiesincludingeyeanddentalcaresomemedicaltravelandcostsofprescrip-tiondrugsamongothers.WithinNIHBtreatyFirstNationsareentitledtohavetheirtravelpaidtoseekoutservicesfromatraditionalhealerbutthatfundingwillonlytakepeopleintheNWTasfarastheborder.Withnostructuredtra-ditionalhealingsysteminplaceintheNWTshealth-caresystemmanyeldersattheDeneNationmeetinglastweekinFortSimpsoncom-plainedthejurisdictionalfundingissuemakesitim-possibleforpeopletoseekouthealersasmostresideinthesouth.Wedogetsomeeldersrequestingtraditionalheal-ersbutthentheyfoundoutthattheycouldntgoacrosstheborderthattheyllonlybepaiduntiltheborderlineEmilySaunderssub-chiefoftheLutselKeDeneFirstNationtoldHealthCanadaofcials.CathyPraamsmaregionaldirectorforHealthCanadaintheNWTsaidNIHBisreviewedannuallybutthatsignificantpolicychangesarerarelymadeandhavetocomefromcabinet.AsitstandsshesaidonlythreerequestsfortraditionalhealershavebeenmadewithintheNWTthisyearandnoneofthemweredenied.ReneLamotheauthoredareportwiththeDehchoHealthandSocialServicesAuthor-ityDeneNationandGNWTdepartmentofHealthandSo-cialServicesin2009whichmaderecommendationstotheNWTgovernmentonincor-poratingtraditionalhealersandmedicinesintothehealthdeliverysystem.Hesaidthecriteriashap-ingthefederalNIHBpolicyneedstoexpandtoallowpeo-pletocrosstheborderwhennecessary.Ithinktheinformationthatisbeingusedbytheprofes-sionalswhoareadvisingthestructureofthispolicyistoolimitedandIthinkitwouldbeofbenettopeopleonthegroundifthatpolicycouldbeasbroadintheadministrationofmedicalservicesfundingasthepoliciesthatgovernWest-ernallopathicmedicines.WearesendingpeoplefromtheNorthsouthallthetimetoseespecialistshesaid.YoucantuseonesetofcriteriainonewayandthendenyitinanotherwayandIdontthinkthatthedepart-mentcouldjustifythatitwouldbecometoocostly.Ourtraditionalhealersdontcharge500000ayeartopracticeasWesternallo-pathicspecialistsdo.ThoughNIHBisafederalprogramitisadministeredbytheterritorialgovernmentoutofInuvik.AccordingtothedeputyministerforHealthintheNWTDebbieDeLanceythatcontractiscomingtoanendsoon.WithcallsforFirstNationsinvolvementintherenegotia-tionofthecontractDeLanceysaidshewouldcommitonbe-halfofthedepartmenttomakesureconsultationisdonewiththerecipientsoftheservice.ElderFrancoisPauletteofFitzgeraldAlta.whochairstheEldersWellnessCouncilatStantonTerritorialHospi-taladvisedtheDeneleader-shiptotakeovertheNIHBofficethemselvesratherthanhavetheGNWTbethemiddleman.ItsforthetreatyFirstNa-tionshesaid.Weshouldtaketheresponsibilityofthat.Itsatreatyright.WhyarewenotdoingthatElderGeorgeMarloweandsub-chiefEmilySaundersoftheLutselKeDeneFirstNationtellHealthCanadaandGNWTHealthofcialsabouttheircommunitysdesireformoreaccesstotraditionalhealersandmedicinesatlastweeksDeneNationmeetingsinFortSimpson.PhotoMeaganWohlbergWedogetsomeeldersrequestingtradi-tionalhealersbutthentheyfoundoutthattheycouldntgoacrosstheborder.EmilySaundersLutselKeFirstNationNewHealthdivisionworkingonAboriginalwellnessContinuedfrompage1.ThoughtheGNWTadmit-tedlyhasalotofworktodoDeLanceysaidthedepartmentisactivelyworkingonreme-diatingthesituation.PartoftheproblemhastodowiththewaytheregionalhealthboardsarestructuredandhowthelegislationhasntchangedsincehealthwastransferredfromOttawatotheNWTin1988.Theworldhaschangedalotinthelast25yearsDeLanceysaid.WeneedtodealwithemergingAboriginalselfgov-ernment.Weneedtokeepourboardstructuresothatitrecog-nizesthefactthatwehavedif-ferentlanguagegroupsweregoingtohaveeightAboriginalself-governmentswhowillhavesomeoftheauthoritytotakeoversomeofourprograms.Atthesametimeshesaidthedepartmentalsoneedstoshareresourcesacrosstheboardssopeopleintheterritorygetconsistentcare.Currentlyshesaidthisisverydifcult.Thewaywesetupoursystemitsreallyhardfortheauthoritiestohelpeachotheroutitshardforthemtoshareresources...Iftheresoneauthoritywheretheydonthaveadoctorrightnowwecreatebarriersforanotheronetobeabletosendthemadoctorforacoupleofweeksshesaid.Whileoneauthoritymaybeexcellingatofferingser-vicesothersmallerhealthboardsarestrugglingontheirownshesaid.Itworriesmewhenweknowthatinsomeregionspeoplearegettingonestan-dardofcareandinotherre-gionstheyregettingadifferentstandardofcare.Werework-inginsilos.Weneedtoworktoensuretheresaminimumstandardofcare.AnewAboriginalHealthandCommunityWellnessdi-visionofHSShasspentthelasttwoyearsfacilitatingwellnessplanningwitheverycommu-nityintheterritorythankstorecentlyadministered-andlongcalled-for-multiyearfundingfromthefederalgovernment.Thegovernmentisalsolookingtootherjurisdic-tionslikeAlaskaforideasonwaystointegratetradi-tionalhealersmedicinesfoodsandculturalpracticesintothehealthcaresystem.ThoughAlaskahasac-creditedtraditionalhealersworkedintotheirsystemDeLanceysaidsheregret-tedthatintwodecadestheNWThaddonealmostnothinginoursystemtoacknowledgeandrespecttraditionalhealing.HealthWellnessAboriginal