Nunavut patients suffer from faulty medical diagnoses, reader says

Another resident of Nunavut has passed away after being seen at the infamous Cape Dorset health centre this past Christmas.

Autopsy results came back and determine he died as a result of a heart attack, and we all know not all heart attacks are fatal when casualties of this disease are treated in a timely manner.

Why was this individual just sent home? Aren’t the professionals you hire capable of diagnosing this stuff?

This happened after a report was released in November 2015 stating the health care services in Cape Dorset failed, resulting in the death of Baby Makibi.

In April 2015, my father almost died because the nurse he saw diagnosed him with an electrolyte imbalance when he actually was bleeding in his head internally.

It was only because my mother insisted a week after the symptoms first started that the Cape Dorset health centre staff sent him to see a doctor on a scheduled flight.

After being seen by the doctor, the doctor ordered an emergency medevac to Ottawa, where my father received emergency brain surgery to reduce the pressure on his brain. He barely survived.

In 2004, my partner and I were young and new to parenthood just like Baby Makibi’s parents. Our three-month old son got really sick and my partner and I brought him to the health centre seven days in a row before he was medevaced to Iqaluit to see a doctor.

After seeing our son, the doctor ordered an emergency medevac flight from Ottawa to see a specialist to try to save our son. Our son was incubated and put on life support for two weeks at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. Our son barely survived the ordeal.

I know my mom has some real harsh opinions about the health care services they have been getting since my dad’s emergency brain surgery.

For example, my father is quite forgetful as a result of the surgery he had in April 2015 and she someone needs to attend all his medical appointments with him to make sure he does not forget what medication he may have to take and the dosage, which could result in a very dangerous medical situation.

For his last medical appointment in Iqaluit, the Cape Dorset health centre staff were not going to send an escort with him until my mother convinced them otherwise. She had to argue with the professional you employ to serve us to get him an escort.

Our community members across the territory are dying because of the lack of adequate health care services we are receiving from the professionals you employ to serve us.

I am really worried for my family’s health and safety and the rest of our community. Something needs to be done immediately. How many more of us have to die who could be saved by modern medicine?

Concerned Resident of Cape Dorset
(Name withheld by request)
Cape Dorset

Editor’s note: the writer has sent copies of this letter to the Nunavut premier, health minister and all Nunavut MLAs.

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