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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