(Reuters) – The northern regions of Canada have achieved much higher COVID-19 vaccination rates than the more populous provinces, despite geographical challenges, a sign that the payment of vaccination in indigenous and rural communities is bearing fruit.
Two government policies have contributed to this early success. A robust outreach to indigenous communities has tried to overcome the mistrust due to decades of ill-treatment by the Canadian government. In addition, officials sent more doses per capita to the Yukon, Nunavut, and Northwest Territories, where many of Canada is indigenous, than to other provinces.
Other measures also contributed, including a lottery held in a small town in Nunavut for those vaccinated, and offered five cash prizes of C $ 2000.
The three areas cover nearly 3.9 million square kilometers (1.5 million square miles), or 40% of Canada’s land mass. But on the hard terrain of the areas live only 125,000 people, the majority of whom are indigenous, and many people live in flight communities that can best be reached by air.
Despite this, nearly 17% of their population received at least the first dose of two-dose vaccines, compared to the national figure of 2%, according to government data. All three areas said they were on track to have at least 75% of their adult population vaccinated by April, compared to the September target set by the federal government for the rest of the country.
LONG OUTSTANDING
To combat the reluctance of vaccines, Nunavut Health Minister Lorne Kusugak and the area’s medical chief called on local radio stations to answer questions and allay fears in the days ahead. the arrival of a vaccination clinic.
Kusugak said the way his government decided to overcome the barriers was to go into communities.
“It could be a community of 100,000. I think this formula works everywhere,” Kusugak said.
Indigenous community vaccination is important to curb COVID-19 deaths in Canada, as the risk of an outbreak in remote areas is considered high.
Dr Brendan Hanley, Yukon’s chief medical officer, said the areas had common features – remote, small and largely indigenous populations spread over large areas with limited health care availability. Hanley calls it “gratifying” that provincial and federal governments recognize these factors.
Vaccine scarcity is a global problem, but mistrust of authorities has deep roots among this indigenous population, which represents 5% of Canada’s population and has experienced centuries of abuse and genocide by the Canadian government.
In addition, the indigenous population of Canada is more likely to experience homelessness or have access to clean drinking water, making the recommendation to combat the spread of COVID-19 social distancing and hand washing. Their life expectancy is 10 to 15 years less than non-native Canadians, and they have almost double the asthma rate and triple the dose of diabetes.
According to Nathan Obed, president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, a national organization representing the Inuit population of Canada, whose ancestors cover much of the north of the country, recognition of these facts is no longer necessary.
“Part of the reason we have to prioritize is because of our health status – and it’s a legacy of colonialism and racism,” Obed said.
The government’s prioritization of Canada’s indigenous people, Obed added, “shows that we are on a new path to reconciliation.”
Reporting by Moira Warburton in Vancouver; Edited by Will Dunham and Denny Thomas