NAHO’s Inuit Tuttarvingat prepares for June 29 shut-down

With only three days left before the National Aboriginal Health Organization in Ottawa shuts down, its Inuit Tuttarvingat office said goodbye “with sadness” on June 26.

“It has been a privilege working with our many partners and allies on Inuit health and wellness issues,” said a news release from Inuit Tuttarvingat, which collected and shared information and knowledge on health and wellness issues of concern to Inuit.

The Ottawa-based NAHO, which received about $5 million a year from Health Canada, was a victim of the federal department’s plan to trim 840 jobs and cut $200 million from its budget.

NAHO will cease operations on June 29, but you can still access Inuit Tuttarvingat materials at its website, which will be available for viewing and downloads until 2017.

Its videos are available at www.isuma.tv, http://vimeo.com and www.youtube.com

And its major programs have been transferred to the following organizations:

• child and maternal health – Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada

• child welfare – Pauktuutit

• cultural orientation – Inuit Qaujisarvingat: Inuit Knowledge Centre

• economic development – Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami

• food security – ITK

• healing practices: Inuit Knowledge – Inuit Qaujisarvingat: Inuit Knowledge Centre

• housing – ITK

• Inuit midwifery network – Pauktuutit

• Inuit tobacco-free network – Pauktuutit

• men’s health – Pauktuutit

• mental wellness – Pauktuutit

• Qanuqtuurniq: Finding the Balance TV Series – Inuit Communications Systems Ltd.

• Qaigitsi! Health Careers Directory – ITK

• research ethics – Inuit Qaujisarvingat: Inuit Knowledge Centre