Manitoba chiefs want state of emergency declared because of swine flu

[Chuck]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5jRyeZXmmQ2oJjvImjK959P7JYb5Q

Manitoba chiefs want state of emergency declared because of swine flu

By THE CANADIAN PRESS ? 7 minutes ago

WINNIPEG ? Manitoba aboriginal leaders have declared a state of emergency in their communities because of swine flu, and they want the federal and provincial governments to do the same.

Ron Evans, head of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, says swine flu is hitting First Nations hard, and many Manitoba reserves are not adequately supplied to fight the virus.

Evans says aboriginals make up 10 per cent of Manitoba's population, but account for almost two-thirds of severe swine flu cases.

By declaring a state of emergency, reserves can now divert money from other programs to help fight the outbreak.

Evans says a similar declaration by governments would mean they would have to step up efforts to get extra supplies and health-care workers into hard-hit communities.

Provincial health officials say there were 163 new confirmed cases of swine flu in the last week, bringing the total to 458.

Copyright ? 2009 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved

 

[Chuck]

Re: Manitoba chiefs want state of emergency declared because of swine flu

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/06/24/mb-emergency-first-nations-manitoba.html

Manitoba First Nations declare swine flu state of emergency
Last Updated: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 | 3:34 PM CT
CBC News

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs has declared a state of emergency in Manitoba First Nations over the H1N1 pandemic.

Grand Chief Ron Evans said Wednesday the H1N1 influenza virus, also known as swine flu, is spreading rapidly through native communities. With supplies taking nearly a month to be delivered, Evans said First Nations people are at too much risk ? especially when just getting hand sanitizer is a political and bureaucratic nightmare.

"Enough is enough," he said at a news conference Wednesday.

When the World Health Organization declared H1N1 a pandemic on June 11, it should have triggered the release of government money to buy medicine, organize emergency services and step up the response, said Evans.

The AMC wants the provincial and federal governments to address money issues and ensure plans are in place to protect people when the fall flu season starts.

Health Canada delayed the delivery of alcohol-based hand sanitizers to some First Nations communities affected by swine flu due to concerns the alcohol content might be abused, Dr. Kim Barker, the senior public health adviser to the Assembly of First Nations, told a Senate committee Tuesday.

Barker said the incident was only one example of how measures used to contain the swine flu pandemic have been ill-suited to the social realities of some aboriginal communities that lack running water for hand washing.

Canada's First Nations communities have been hit hard by the H1N1 virus, but there is no consistent approach to the outbreak across the country, Barker told the Senate committee on aboriginal peoples.

She called for an independent task force to study flu outbreaks in First Nations communities and report back with recommendations for a seamless approach across the country before the fall.