This is a follow up to my post: http://crazybitchesrus.blogspot.com/2009/06/please-follow-this-story-please-write.html
To date since H1N1 broke out in Canada, 11 Manitobans have tested positive for swine flu. By comparason, one week 12 suspected cases of H1N1 broke out in St. Theresa First Nation, a remote community with a population of 3,200. Two patients were pregnant, one lost her baby, the other (according to CBC Newsworld) had a emergency C-section both she and her son are in critical condition. The remainder of the cases are children, 5 of 10 are in critial condition.
From the Winnipeg Free Press today: Manitoba Grand Chief Ron Evans said St. Theresa Point is an example of what can happen when governments fail to address the poor social conditions that can help disease spread. Evans said the lack of health-care professionals and overcrowded homes make many communities prone to devastating effects of outbreaks, noting pandemic planning in many areas is still a work in progress.
"It gives you a good sense of how terrible and tragic will be when a community has to deal with an epidemic," Evans said. "No one expected H1N1 to surface at this time so the communities are caught off guard."
Full story
Other posts on this topic:
June 10: No Doctors, No Nurses, but emergency hand sanitizer is on its way
June 6: If it isn't racism, what is it?http://crazybitchesrus.blogspot.com/2009/06/please-follow-this-story-please-write.html
June 5: Feds slow to respond to First Nation pandemic planning: Manitoba
June 4: Another update H1N1
June 3:More on H1N1 at St. Theresa Point First Nation
June 2: Please follow this story. Please write to your MP
Posts
3 comments:
The state of First Nations in Canada is a shameful reflection on us. Is there anything that people can do?
Hi Liliannattel,
When people ask if there is anything they can do I reply yes. Write a letter to your MP and express you outrage at having to do so. Encourage your family, friends and any one you can think of to ask that very question and then demand answers.
It won’t be easy but it’s only through the strength and will of all people that solutions and harmony will be found. It sounds simple but it’s actually the hardest to achieve. People do not want to know the truth and when they hear it most will find an excuse to tune out.
Seriously...I was adopted into a British family and to this day I still hear rants about how the Indians stole all the fish and that’s why the fishery industry collapsed. When I try bring evidence to the discussion I’m told flat out that they (family) can’t be bothered to understand/educate themselves because they have other concerns – my eldest brother married a Chinese woman and he told me he was too involved learning about her culture to spend time to learning about mine. I hope you’re as disgusted reading that as I was when he told me – but hey – that’s the average Canadian – and he’s family.
So, my sincerest gratitude to you Liliannattel and to everyone who reads this blog – you’re a stranger to us but you care and that’s a great start.
To add to Wide eyes suggestion, letters to the editors in newspapers are also great. Especially wehen you self-indentify as a non-aboriginal person.
It sounds like a small thing, but it is so so helpful. It lets the public and politicians know that they are not jsut dealing with people that are easily swept under the rug, they are dealing with Canadian voters. Plus it always encourages us to know that there are people out there that truly care about what's happening to our families and children.
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