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TuesdaySeptember220147HEALTHWELLNESSTRADITIONALHEALINGEldersleadfact-ndingmissiontoAlaskannativehospitalWellnesscounciltoproviderecommendationstoNWThealthdepartmentByMEAGANWOHLBERGEldersfromtheNorthwestTerritorieshavereturnedhomefromatriptoAlaskathatopenedtheireyestothepossibilitiesofintroducingFirstNations-runhealthcareincludingtra-ditionalhealingpracticesintheterritory.TheEldersWellnessCouncilofStantonTer-ritorialHospitalwhichincludesrepresentativesfromeveryregionintheterritoryspentaweekvisitingAnchorageAlaskalatelastmonthtotourtheAlaskaNativeMedicalCenter.CouncilchairFrancoisPauletteanelderfromtheFortSmithThebachaareasaidthefact-ndingmissionprovidedaninspiringmodelforhowhealthcarecouldbeimprovedforAboriginalpeopleintheNWT.Themostinterestingthingisthatthehos-pitalisreectiveoftheircultureandhealing-notjustthephysicalhealthbuttheyhaveahugephilosophythatifyouregoingtoworkthereyouneedtobehealthyPaulettesaid.Thewholeessenceoftheinstitutionisthatpeopleworktogether.StantonTerritorialHospitalisinaprocessofrenovationandonepossibilityformeet-ingthegrowingdemandformoretraditionalmedicineshealersandfoodsincludesanewbuildingnexttotheexistingfacilitydesignedforAboriginalwellnesswherewecanmeetourspiritualemotionalmentalandphysi-calwell-beingPaulettesaid.TheAlaskaNativeMedicalCenterbegansmallwitharound21staff.NowithasitsownpharmacyMRImachine150bedsandover1600employeesofferinglong-termcareexten-sivecancerprogrammingaddictionstreatmentcounsellingservicesandtraditionalhealers.ApartfromthemaincentreinAnchoragethehealthcentrealsoprovidestelehealthcareto55communitiesthroughoutthestate.ComparedtothetwomidwivesworkingintheNWTPaulettesaidthereare16inthecentrealonebirthingfourbabiesperday.Ithinktheterritorialsystemofhealthisslightlybehindwhatshappeningtherehesaid.ThoseseekingservicesattheAlaskahos-pitalarenotonlypatientsbutpartownersofthehealthcentre.Paulettesaidthecus-tomer-ownerrelationshipmeanspeoplehaveagreatersayinhowitisrunandap-preciationforitsservices.Everyonehasaninvestmentinthehos-pitalhesaid.Ifyoudontlikesomethingyoucanxit.Youcantdothathere.Youcancomplainbutyouregoingtohaveatoughtimexingitbecausesomeoneelseownsitandpaysforit.SoIlikethatphilosophy.AlargecomponentoftheservicesofferedintheAnchoragefacilityaretraditionalformsofhealing.AboriginalhealerssomewithWesternmedicaltrainingaswellhavetheirownmedicinegardenandareabletotreatpeoplenotonlyforphysicalailmentsbutonspiritualandemotionallevelsaswell.TheyassessyouforeverythingPaulettesaid.Themenualsoincludestraditionalfoodsforpa-tientswithfreshshfeaturedmostprominentlyalongwithcariboumuskoxandmoosemeat.Paulettesaidtheatmosphereisalsohelpedbythehospitalssettingwhichissurroundedbysmallbodiesofwaterplantsandbirds.In-sidethefacilityindigenousartworkgracesthewallsthroughout.Thereeveryoneisvisitingtalkingandlaugh-inghesaid.Ifounditquitepleasanttobethere.Thecouncilplanstowriteareportcompil-ingwhattheylearnedontheirtriptopres-enttothedepartmentofHealthandSocialServicesandPauletteishopingtogetthesupportofchiefsthroughouttheNWTforanewwellnessfacility.Supportfromterrito-rialMLAswouldbeaplushesaid.EldersPatMartelFlorenceBarnabyMaryTeyaFrancoisPauletteandGabeHardistymeetwithDr.TedMalaleftdirectoroftraditionalhealingattheAlaskaNativeMedicalCenter.PhotocourtesyofFrancoisPaulette