Inuvialuit Regional Corporation recognizes World TB Day

Inuvialuit Regional Corporation recognizes World TB Day with our steps towards social and economic equality and our hopes for reconciliation.   

IRC’s ongoing work on housing, food security and progress in offering educational support to advance career opportunities for beneficiaries to succeed all can help to ensure that our communities and people will not be susceptible to tuberculosis infection or disease. 

There are two concurrent projects at IRC specifically relating to TB that we wish to highlight today: 

• Learn about latent Tuberculosis- Make yourselves aware of the collaborative efforts of Inuit Regions with Canada towards the elimination of TB. After 200 years of TB in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, this disease can be eliminated if we learn and work together and understand the treatments and interventions available.  IRC’s Tumihiuqtuq Awareness initiative is being launched in 2021 so you can read and access health information:

• TB affected many Inuvialuit families and disrupted the proper passing on of language and traditional skills, including during a TB epidemic from the 1940-60s.  Nanilavut Initiative allows families to search for accurate information about their loved ones who were sent out for treatment, and to gain support and engage together in properly marking these losses within their families. 

Inuvialuit Regional Corporation wishes everyone best health and we know wellness for Inuvialuit is built on fair opportunity and chance for prosperity.  The Inuvialuit Final Agreement recognizes this as an initial principle.  IRC will continue to advocate and strive for equal access to healthcare, at home, for all of our community members and our elders so that family connections can remain strong and traditional knowledge can be passed on.  We will be seeing many of you taking part in such healthful reconciliation measures, teaching skills across generations at your camps this spring!  

Please take the time today to learn our history, participate in the initiatives offered for your benefit and learn about the current threat of latent and active TB to stay safe and healthy.   

Link to today’s joint press release: Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Government of Canada Renew Commitment to Tuberculosis Elimination

Read and find information about Inuit Tuberculosis Elimination Framework