TB screening clinic announced for outbreak in Arviat
Department of Health to conduct tuberculosis screening clinic in hamlet until June
Nunavut’s Department of Health says it is running a tuberculosis screening clinic in Arviat starting this week and continuing until June. (File photo)
Nunavut’s Department of Health will conduct a community-wide tuberculosis screening clinic in Arviat starting this week and running until June, as the outbreak declared in February continues in the Kivalliq region hamlet of 2,800.
During this phase of testing, Arviat residents between the ages of 13 and 40 will be asked to get tested at the clinic which is being held at the hamlet office.
“Everyone will get the opportunity to know their tuberculosis status as the focused screening progresses,” a department public service announcement issued Tuesday said.
Since January, there have been fewer than five confirmed cases of active tuberculosis and 12 residents have been diagnosed with the latent form of the disease.
People with latent TB do not show symptoms and are not infectious, though it can develop into the active form which is transmissible and symptomatic.
Symptoms include a cough that lasts longer than three weeks, fatigue, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, and a fever or night sweats.
Both the latent and active forms of the disease are treatable. Active tuberculosis can lead to severe respiratory problems or death if untreated.
Since the outbreak was declared Feb. 11, the department has focused on phased screening with first testing of immediate contacts of those infected with a following phase screening past active and latent cases of the disease.
Residents who think they have been exposed to tuberculosis or have symptoms should visit the health centre for screening.
In 2018, ITK and Canada committed to eliminate TB from Inuit communities by 2030, which is 5 years from now.
However, the Public Health Agency of Canada reported there were just as many TB outbreaks in Canada’s Inuit communities in 2023 as there were in 2018.
In 2018, ITK had the opportunity to get Canada to commit to eliminate overcrowded housing in Inuit communities, with overcrowded housing and poor ventilation the principle cause of TB outbreaks around the world, but ITK only wanted a photo op with the Prime Minister. Then, the members of the ITK board of directors shook each others’ hands.
Thanks, ITK!
There should be an investigate on how they manage the money and transactions they do. They say they do their work and many offices who answers the phone call don’t even answer the call. Look at the justice and RCMP are doing, look at the mental health act are doing with filipino and toronto airport incident. For sure those people were not being listen by these health workers who say they are professionals. Investigate them how they do their job. Inuit have rights to check with their health documents they make. Tjey can’t see and hear what there doing because they did what they say they do there work and so many times they miss what they are doing. Now human resources are changing there work with foster child that they are trying to hide evidence from people.