“Unfortunately, if they get it, they are going to suffer the worst,” Johnathan Whonnock told Global News. the Indigenous The leader of the Kwakawka’wakw First Nation understands the elevated risk COVID-19 poses to his people. You also understand why many in your community are reluctant to get vaccinated.
“There has been a lot of mistrust, there has been a lot of talk about the government’s intentions, because it’s the government’s implementation of the medication, and the government has never been direct, honest and truthful with First Nations people.”
According to a new report from the Our Health Counts ICES Linkage Project of the Applied Health Research Center at St. Michael’s Hospital, only 55% of indigenous people over 15 years of age in Toronto have been fully vaccinated, leaving some 32,000 people unprotected. This finding contradicts the fact that Toronto’s turbans get faster access to vaccines.
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“I think it’s related to the fact that one in three First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people living in the city of Toronto don’t have a regular healthcare provider,” said family physician Dr. Janet Smylie metis and main author of the report.
“And of those that do, there may still be some gaps in a trusting relationship with those healthcare providers.”
Dr. Smylie, who also serves as the director of Well Living Home, the indigenous health research institute at St. Michael’s Hospital, said the mistrust is deeply rooted in a history and in the continuing acts of abuse, racism and crimes committed by the health system against indigenous communities. But he said it is leaving unvaccinated community members vulnerable.
“I am concerned that it will be a difficult winter unless we do everything we can to ensure that the 95,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis people living in Toronto have access to a reliable source of information on vaccination.”
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She predicts that with the rise of more resistant variants and the gradual relaxation of restrictions, 30,000 partially or unvaccinated indigenous people could become ill between now and May 2022.
Smylie is also the Canada Research Chair in Advancing Generative Health Services for Indigenous Populations. To increase the acceptance of the vaccine among indigenous groups, information about the vaccine must be disseminated “by the community, for the community,” he said.
“We still have some active colonial policies and legacies, so when it comes to community by community, someone chooses to get tested, find out more about the vaccine, or get vaccinated, as an act of affirming indigeneity versus an act of accepting systems and advice imposed from abroad, ”Smylie said.
“When we have access to community-administered testing, good communication, information sharing, and community-administered vaccination, we can overcome some of those trust barriers.”
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Smylie is also calling on the city to increase indigenous representation in public health agencies to increase trust. In a statement to Global News, Toronto Public Health said it is working to understand the barriers and meet community needs to encourage residents to get vaccinated.
It has assigned two nurses to support indigenous vaccination efforts and has provided resources and funding for indigenous-led vaccination initiatives.
As for Indigenous Peoples who doubt, Dr. Smylie encourages them to reach out to organizations such as Midwives of the Seventh Generation Toronto, Na-Me-Res Anishnawbe Health Toronto and the Auduzhe Mino Nesewinong (The Place of Healthy Breathing) where indigenous community partners will be happy to answer your questions and concerns.
“We will always respect the individual and collective choices of the people,” Smylie said. “But what I want is to make sure everyone has the best information to make the best decision.”
Whonnock’s message to community members is to protect yourself and your loved ones this winter.
“Protect yourself, get vaccinated,” Whonnock said. “It is for you and the people you love. I definitely love a lot of people and would hate to think about what life would be like if they had to leave this world early due to COVID-19. So please get vaccinated. “
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Reference-globalnews.ca