KENORA—The Kenora Chiefs Advisory recently shared a news release, from the All Nations Health Partners Ontario Health Team, asking that people, “Be Kind-Be Patient-Be Understanding”.
Kenora Chiefs Advisory is an alliance of independent, participating First Nations that since 1995, provide programs and services to the First Nations In the fields of health, education and social services. They describe their services as being delivered, “in a holistic and traditional way that ensures the survival of Anishinaabe way for the present and future generations.”
All Nations Health Partners Ontario Health Team is a group of Indigenous, municipal and health care leaders who according to Kenora Chiefs Advisory Facebook page “Have signed a Resolution in ceremony in 2017, to work towards the development of a seamless, patient-centred health care system. The ANHP aim is to provide the right service, at the right time, in the right setting for everyone in the Kenora region.”
In 2019, this group became incorporated and includes partners such as Canadian Mental Health Association, Kenora, the Northwestern Health Unit, Grand Council Treaty #3, Kenora Metis Council-Metis Nation of Ontario and Lake of the Woods District Hospital. It became the first Ontario’s Health Team with full Indigenous and community partners.
This group shared their recent news release, in which they reflected on the past two years and called on everyone to: “Be Kind-Be Patient -Be Understanding.”
The news release describes the past two years as a time which has brought with it challenges which have seriously impacted health care systems globally and locally.” They state how COVID-19 has impacted so many on a personal and professional level.
They highlight how in the past year especially, the pandemic has led to closures and decreasing available health staff, stating that, “Our region has faced many challenges including critical staffing shortages. Areas as close as Red Lake have had to shut down emergency services for 24-hours, due to the lack of available staff, and Lake of The Woods District Hospital has had to close its Intensive Care Unit for some shifts for the same reasons.”
Serena Joseph, acting executive director of Waasegiizhig Nanaandawwe’lyewigamig, shared, “While demand for our services have always been greater than available resources. COVID-19 has only further illuminated gaps and health disparities faced by our clients.”
Globally and locally, we all know that we are all still facing COVID-19, and our local and provincial Health Units remind us of this almost on a daily basis. They, too, acknowledge that staff shortages ultimately result in longer wait times for health care services.
According to All Nations Health Partners Ontario Health Team, the hard work provided by the staff who continue to show up every day, to selflessly offer the needed health care services and keep everyone safe amid the pressures that they face, needs to be acknowledged.
Colleen Neil, All Nations Health Partners executive lead, said that, “Our most caring healthcare professionals are showing signs of suffering from near-total compassion fatigue.”
Thus, the key underlying message of this news release, and as shared by the Kenora Chiefs Advisory is, “Our colleagues, our patients, our health care providers are also our neighbours, our teammates, our friends, our volunteers, our community. As we continue to move forward together, All Nations Health Partners ask everyone including our teams, to consider kindness, patience and understanding, in all we do.”
