Health Promotion Programs
The Health Promotion Programs Unit consists of several Program
areas, each of which is described briefly, below.
Diabetes
Home and Community Care
Addictions & Mental Health
Strategy
Prairie Northern Pacific FAS Partnership (PNPFASP)
Nunavut Tobacco Program
Diabetes:
The Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative is a component of the Canadian
Diabetes Strategy. The Canadian Diabetes Strategy is a five-year
program, which will likely be converted to an on-going program,
like the Home and Community Care Program.
Our best and current information sources tell us that there is
not a high rate of diabetes in Nunavut, (that is, in comparison
to the rate of diabetes in the other provinces and territories within
Canada) but that we are a population at significant risk. Nunavut
has the opportunity to make sure that diabetes does not get the
same foothold here that it has in many other aboriginal societies.
The current priorities for the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative in
Nunavut are:
• Determining who is most at risk
• Developing effective awareness and prevention programs
• Provision of specialized training for caregivers
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Home & Community Care:
In the fiscal year 1999-2000, Health Canada introduced the First
Nations and Inuit Home and Community Care Program to Nunavut. The
program was to be implemented over a three-year period starting
in 1999-2000 with full implementation by 2001-2002.
The Home and Community Care Program will provide basic home and
community care services that are comprehensive, culturally sensitive,
accessible and effective to the people of Nunavut. It is a coordinated
system of home-based health-related services to enable people with
disabilities, chronic or acute illnesses and the elderly to receive
the care they need in their communities.
Staffing at the community and regional level and the required resources
will see the program implemented in most communities in 2002-2003.
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Addictions & Mental Health Strategy:
The Nunavut Government has recently approved the “Addictions
& Mental Health Strategy”. This Strategy will see the
Nunavut Government, in partnership and collaboration with non-government
organizations and other government departments and agencies, implement
a wide range of new and enhanced programs and services. The Department
of Health & Social Services has started the implementation priorities
and the accountabilities.
Regional Health & Social Services carry out the delivery of
addictions and mental health programs and services with local staff.
These programs and services include, but are not limited to:
• Counseling clients
• Group healing sessions
• Community wellness workshops
• Screening and referring A&D clients to treatment programs
• Case-management
• Crisis management
Nunavut residents may request to be referred to a residential treatment
center outside of Nunavut, as there are no centers in Nunavut. This
request can be made to a Wellness Counselor/Addiction Worker or
if this kind of resource does not exist within the respective community,
through the local Health Centre.
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Prairie Northern Pacific FAS Partnership (PNPFASP):
Nunavut is a member of the PNPFASP, a health-related initiative
where the western provinces and the territories jointly collaborate
to address Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and its Effects (FAS/E), a preventable
disease caused by drinking alcohol while pregnant. While each of
the member provinces and territories (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta,
British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut) are
responsible for their respective FAS/E programs and services, members
benefit from sharing resources, research and information on successful
intervention and prevention programs.
With assistance from the Partnership and through its own initiatives,
Nunavut has started the initial stages of an FAS/E Program. This
program will cover the education/awareness and prevention, as well
as the care and support for those individuals and family members
affected by this preventable disease.
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Nunavut Tobacco Program:
The Government of Nunavut is committed to reducing tobacco use
in Nunavut. The Department of Health and Social Services announced
the introduction of its Tobacco Reduction Campaign in December of
2001. This media campaign is part of its evolving Tobacco Strategy
and some of the programs and initiatives in it are:
• Television & Radio Public Service Announcements
• Posters
• Poster contest held across Nunavut schools with 12 winning
entries selected and these will be used to produce a calendar, based
on the school year
• Training of local people, in partnership with Pauktuutit,
in cessation programs
Under the Non-Insured Health Benefits, tobacco cessation aids,
i.e. Zyban, Nicotine patch, Nicotine gum, are available to Inuit
beneficiaries.
The Department of Health and Social Services has started the process
for a legislative proposal for a Nunavut Tobacco Control Act. After
all the required consultations are complete and the Act is enacted,
Nunavut should legislate on Advertising, Products, Involuntary Exposure,
Sales and Enforcement.
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