NORTHERN HEALTH INITIATIVES

ONGOING PROJECT

Northern Health Initiatives was created to help support the health care needs of individuals living in remote communities across Canada. These supports include arranging transportation and collection of requested medical supplies such as wheelchairs, walkers, diabetic supplies, wound care supplies and more. IMA is also committed to helping to provide specialized health care professionals to these remote communities.


Project Overview

Northern Health Initiatives is a project of True North Aid with the design to support the healthcare needs and requirements of individuals living in our Northern communities. In Canada, Indigenous peoples face the biggest health inequities compared to their non-Indigenous counter-parts. Our objective is to help close the gap between government and the people requiring services relating to their health. This includes access to medical equipment that they may not be able to completely afford or locate within their communities throughout northern Canada and access to specialized medical personnel.


Mission & Goals

  • Collect medical supplies in the Kingston area and ship to designated communities
  • Transport medical supplies,
  • Send qualified health care professionals to assess individuals for needs – ie. Mobility aids, wound care, physiotherapy and other supports as necessary
  • Teach individuals to help relatives/neighbours who may live with physical impairments with their activities of daily living
  • Educate individuals and families on how to use specialized equipment and allow individuals to live with dignity at home.

Who, What,
Where & When

Keewaytinook Okimakanak is the Northern Chiefs Council which helps to serve six Indigenous communities through areas of health, education, economic development, legal assistance and more. They currently service six communities – Deer Lake, Fort Severn, North Spirit Lake, Poplar Hill, McDowell Lake, and Keewaywin First Nations. The Indigenous Medical Alliance team is currently working with and supporting the home care team under the supervision of Karyn Meekis. For more information please visit: https://www.kochiefs.ca/

Weeneebayko Area Health Authority is a health-care network operating hospitals and supporting federal nursing stations in remote communities along the James Bay and Hudson Bay coasts in Northern Ontario, Canada. They support six First Nation communities including Attawapiskat, Peawanuck, Fort Albant, Kaschewan, Moose Factory and Moosonee. Supplies were transported and dispersed to these communities in the summer and fall of 2017.

The community of Fort Hope is located on the shores of Eabamet Lake in the Albany River system 360 km north of Thunder Bay. This is a fly-in community in the middle of northern Ontario with winter roads utilized February through March. There are approximately 1500 people who live on the reserve, with an additional 700+ community members living off the reserve. While most residents speak English, it is common to hear people speaking Anishinaabe.

Apply For Medical Supplies
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