Quebec government taking Nunavik TB situation ‘very seriously’
Health Minister Christian Dubé’s office responds to letter from region’s mayors over tuberculosis ‘crisis’
Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé is taking Nunavik’s TB situation “very seriously” in response to concerns from the region’s mayors, his spokesperson says. (File photo by Cedric Gallant)
Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé is working with provincial and local health officials to respond to what Nunavik municipal leaders describe as an “escalating tuberculosis crisis” in the region, a spokesperson for the minister says.
“We are taking this situation very seriously,” said Audrey Noiseux, a spokesperson for Dubé, in a French statement provided to Nunatsiaq News on Tuesday.
“We will continue to follow the recommendations of public health experts on this subject.”
The statement says Dubé’s office is collaborating with the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services to respond to the situation.
It follows the Kativik Regional Government’s release of a letter on Monday co-signed by the mayors of all 14 Nunavik villages, calling on Dubé to take action to stem the spread of TB in the region.
In the letter, the mayors urge the provincial government to declare a public health emergency. They also ask that Quebec increase funding and resources to Inuulitsivik Health Centre and Ungava Tulattavik Health Centre; improve Nunavik’s infrastructure such as water service and housing; and among other requests, to “commit to Inuit health sovereignty” by investing in health-care training and education.
There have been 40 TB cases in Nunavik this year, according to the mayors. There were 95 cases for all of 2024, and seven of the 14 villages have dealt with tuberculosis since 2022.
Inuit communities have some of the highest rates of TB in Canada.
In 2023, the Public Health Agency of Canada reported Canada’s TB rate as being 5.5 cases per 100,000 people, while the rate among Inuit was 204.2 per 100,000 people.
Tuberculosis has a long list of possible symptoms including a bad cough, chest pain, weakness, fever and weight loss.
However, it is treatable with antibiotics.
“We are human beings, with the same rights and dignity as every other Quebec and Canadian citizen,” the Nunavik mayors said in their letter.
“TB has been left to steadily rise in Nunavik over the past decade, and this will no longer be tolerated.”
“We are taking this situation very seriously,” said Audrey Noiseux, a spokesperson for Dubé. Once again, we have the Quebec government saying yes there is a crisis and we will help. Been there done that. Same ole merry go round. If they do not have to spen millios of dollars, they will not care or never have cared about the Inuit, First Nations or Metis living in Quebec. All one has to do is search for all the reports from MMIWG, VEINS COMMISSION, DOG SLAUGHTER or RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS. The true victims are those who have died by SUICIDE, BECOME ALCOHOLICS, DRUG ADDICTS, HOMELESSNESS, or who are MURDERERS. Its a violent circle and the more or violence that happens within our communities, the less the Quebec Government will help. They would rather see us killing ourselves slowly by alcohol and drugs, by suicide or become violent and become murderers. This Quebec government and their politicians are there for the FRANCOPHONE peoples living in Quebec rather than the Inuit, First Nations and Metis Peoples.
You can cure TB. All it requires is you taking the damn medication as scheduled. The reason this is a problem in the arctic has NOTHING to do with the government and EVERYTHING to do with the people. Nurses and doctors will bend over backwards to give you these meds, literally driving to where you panhandle to give them to you, yet TB still runs rampant across the Arctic. They are spending millions to try and fix it and the people waste those millions by not completing their TB medication and spreading it to other people.
You nailed that good. Pinned. It’s discouraging to have to take medication and seems the noncompliance. I’ve been diagnosed back in the day and took medication for a full year, and finished them, only to be reminded every day by the nurses to take the medication in the midst of so many that didn’t take theirs. Yes I can see the millions of dollars now, what supposed to do to have ignorant people compliant? It’s all ignorance, hygiene right to not taken medication. Hope the brass is aware of that,
Nurse Practitioner and TB expert in Ontario.
Previously went to Nunavut for a TB outbreak. Willing to help.
Thanks,
Jane
What’s mostly scary is who is on those hospital and health boards in Nunavik. Only a few weeks ago we were reading the school board article on how there’s so much non qualified people, I invite you to be aware of what we have on the health committee and boards in Nunavik, it’s ridiculous, it should be against the law to have them such unaware individuals talking in meetings about people lives.