Nunavik TB rates among ‘highest rates in the world’, expert says
Says infection rate compares to low-resource places ‘such as prisons’
A children’s drawing shows this coloured image at the International Tuberculosis Day event hosted Sunday by the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services in Kuujjuaq. (Photo courtesy of Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services)
In 2024, Nunavik saw its highest number of tuberculosis cases since the regional health board started keeping detailed records and has increased screening in communities to control the spread.
“The rates of tuberculosis we see in Nunavik are comparable to countries with the highest rates in the world,” said Yassen Tcholakov, an infectious disease unit leader at Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, in a French interview.
“Some communities have rates that are not even comparable to normal environments. They have rates that can be seen in places with extremely low resources, such as prisons.”
“We have rates that are around 1,000 times higher than the average non-Indigenous population born in Canada,” he said, adding that some communities can see that number go to 10,000 times higher.
According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, the average rate of tuberculosis in 2022 was 5.1 cases per 100,000 people. By comparison, among Inuit the rate was 136.7 cases per 100,000 people.
Data from Nunavik’s health board shows that in 2024, there were 95 cases of active tuberculosis in the region with a population of about 14,000 people.
Tcholakov said six Nunavik communities had TB outbreaks of various scales last year.
He wouldn’t identify the six communities because people will consider changing travel plans. Most of the time, they don’t need to, he said.
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that affects the lungs and spreads most easily where people are in crowded conditions.
“If we cross someone with tuberculosis, it is an insignificant exposure,” he said, adding longer-term exposure is generally needed for a person to be infected.
March 24 was Word Tuberculosis Day. Its main purpose is to spread awareness of the illness, and the need to seek immediate treatment if symptoms start to show.
Tcholakov said that includes a prolonged cough over multiple weeks, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite and weight, nocturnal sweats, chest pains and spitting up blood.
Tuberculosis needs to be destigmatized in Nunavik, he said, so people won’t hesitate to seek medical treatment quickly.
“A lot of people in the region have tuberculosis. The fact that it is stigmatized makes it so people sometimes refuse diagnostic tests,” he added.
Another factor is the comparatively limited access to health care in Nunavik.
“If we had the availability and the quality of health care access points similar to the average, we would probably not be in the same situation,” he said.
Nunavik needs better health-care infrastructure, access to X-ray equipment in all communities, and a greater ability by the public health and the health-care system to react quickly when a case is detected.
We’re #1….. We’re # 1…..
Were all ways # 1 in all the wrong departments
Quit sharing joints and darts for a start
has the bacille vaccine been tried?
It’s used in Mexico and parts of Asia
As the US defunds medical care in Africa. the incidence of multi-drug resistant Tb will increase and spread world wide.
Has the bacille Tb vaccine been considered?
It’s used in Mexico and parts of Asia. maybe part of Europe.
It means a screening chest xray annually.
Multi-drug resistant TB is a very serious thing.
When look at Inuit of Canada TB incidence rates per 100,000 population with other countries, does a different picture emerge? 2021 data.
Indonesia: 392.62, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): 351, The Philippines: 340.78, Nigeria: 332, Bangladesh: 287, China: 215.14. Pakistan: 214.39.
Inuit Canada: 136.7
NTI announced $4 million towards TB in some Nunavut Hamlets for a campaign addressing TB stigma, a calendar and food hampers. Buckets of feel good money, but no plan to actually lower the numbers?
On a side note, alcohol related hospitalization (ARH) among Inuit is 2,000–3,000 per 100,000 (ITK/Health Canada).
Countries ARH per 100,000 population. Canada 1,000, USA 2,000, UK 600-700, China 100-200, Pakistan 10-20, Philippines 100-200, India 10-20.
Thanks for this reporting. Excellent contextualization…
Having lived and traveled for work in Nunavik for last five years, it never ceases to amaze me just how difficult life can be for Nunavimmiut, and how disgusting the indifference the current Member of Parliament has shown for the issues that face Inuit in their homeland.
Highest suicide rate in the world in the region, a staggering high school drop out race, houses with mold and entirely too crowded and now I’m learning that the TB rates are this high…and somehow it isnt really a shock to be honest.
At what point does the CAQ and Bloc show a conscience and stop nickel and diming Inuit and doing the bare minimum.
Respect is a two way street and I don’t blame Inuit at all for any and all resentment felt towards southern governments and citizens with the power of change but choose to ignore the realities…
Inaction in and towards Nunavik isnt just a crime against humanity…Id call it a sin.