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Thursday, 23 April, 2009

Investigate "institutional racism" in healthcare: indigenous MDs

In light of the deaths of three First Nations patients in Manitoba healthcare facilities in the past year, the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada has called for a review of "institutional racism" in medicine across the country.

In a release issued today, the IPAC summarized the cases of the three patients who died:

Brian Sinclair, a 45-year-old man who died of an infection, which spread from a blocked bladder catheter after waiting in the emergency room for 34 hours. An inquest is pending, and all parties including Premier Gary Doer have agreed that his death was preventable.

Chace Barkman, a 6 month old baby, died of meningitis with a six-day delay in receiving the correct diagnosis and obtaining appropriate care at the Garden Hill Health Centre considered a possible contributing factor to the death.

MayLynn Sanderson, a 34 year old female, died of a heart infection within 24 hours of being transferred from a correctional institution to a hospital. According to the Winnipeg Free Press Sanderson had previously been hospitalized for this condition, and had been requesting further treatment since February 9th. She wasn't transferred until April 5th and died on April 6th.
The IPAC admits that it's unknown whether racism was at play in those three cases.

But all of them were all First Nations patients and racism "may have been a contributing factor," IPAC president Dr Marcia Anderson wrote. "The anecdotal evidence suggests an intolerably high level of racism in health care, and so does the formal evidence." For those reasons, the organization is recommending a "systematic review for multilevel racism (i.e. institutional and interpersonal) within the health care system."

In today's release the IPAC directly challenges Manitoba's Ministry of Health to perform a review of racism in the healthcare system, in tandem with the IPAC. (The ministry made no public response today.)

Photo: IPAC

Posted by David Elkins and others at 5:36 PM

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7 comments:

  1. RE: Institutional Racism

    I don't know .... are there similar institutional structures within Canada for Italian physicians, Greek physicians, Asian physicians, etc.?

    In order to prevent "the pot calling the kettle black" wouldn't it be better to have existing Human Rights organizations do a "prejudicial discrimination" investigation?

    Why settle for being categorized ( understood) when you can be classified ( assigned)?
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  2. All accidental deaths could be blamed on racism, I mean why is racism always assumed to be the number one cause of everything. Seems like everyone is categorized as a racist if he messes up with a person of African-American descent or any other one. I just find it a bit strange...

    Lorne
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  3. You wouldn't find it so strange if you were the one the racism was directed at!!!
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  4. sharon (aka Purley Quirt)May 5, 2010 07:24 PM
    .... any " ism" smacks of " I'm in , you're out" with lots of inclusion and exclusion playing against each other.

    I repeat.... do not fight for places you cannot enter.... make sure you are assigned places where you can.....

    better yet...create them ....

    e.g.

    I took a trip to the end of a highway in northern ontario. There a dynamic aboriginal community vibrated with talent, energy, and political presence.
    The archives in the local museum had no record of how this dominant role occurred and acknowledged no founding fathers from the Aboriginal community.

    Just proves the point that successful peoples leave that which is behind and move forward into brighter futures without impediment......... by keeping that forward gaze.........
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  5. In response to 10:24 p.m.

    Its a place we as Aboriginal/Indigenous peoples would love to be. Sadly we are all not yet at that place where we could take the control back of our lives. With all the traumas our communities have endured from the Indian Act legislation, to the infamous Residential Schools, to name a few, its amazing we are still here & experiencing the ongoing oppression of our peoples. Come on Canada, wake up. Racism is alive & well.
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  6. sharon (aka Purley Quirt)May 6, 2010 07:51 AM
    ................ considering this is a "health" blog with ?some concentration on the non-medical determinants of health ( housing, employment, infrastructure, quality of life )............ for sure, racism fits in.... and is imposed on many peoples within Canada.

    Q- is it the best spotlight to profile the path to resolving their needs?

    .... as for Aboriginals/Native peoples ....... I think there should be some real $ spent investigating the causes of diabetes in that society.
    I would like to see fruitful investigation on the impact of foodstuffs ( grain-based) on the cluster of disease states they face.

    I think "Maslow's hierarchy of needs" is really profiled here where more than one generation within the culture needs the first steps of " health and safety" to be fulfilled.

    Canada has a group within it that could be considered as having the same indicators you find in developing countries where the "Nationals" ( original peoples) are re-integrated into broader control of their own society. They call these efforts as forming a " civil society".

    The unique thing about trying to accomplish this within a democratic country is there are already lots of opportunities provided for autonomous control....but in Canada they do not seem to include a "thinktank" level of expertise at a more scientific level.

    Political, artistic and business acumen have emerged... but not scientific.

    Having done projects in other countries ... and also with Native Peoples in Canada.... I am amazed at how receptive other countries are to evidences of genuine caring and effort.

    Whereas in Canada ... the hearts remain hardened and the mistrust is so high it becomes a mountain that cannot be climbed. From time to time the depth of that mistrust is confessed....... and always with jusitfying proofs from the past.

    This root of bitterness defiles many... and closes ears and hearts to offers and pleas for forgiveness...even within their own culture.

    What to do?

    Canada needs something other than a politically appointed intermediate. It needs a CIDA project to empower it's own Nationals where the Nationals permit the building of inroads into their culture to empower and enable change to begin.
    ReplyDelete
  7. Racism at The College of Pharmacists of British Columbia, Canada

    To:  Marshall Moleschi, BSc (Pharm), RPh, MHA, Registrar, College of Pharmacists of British Columbia, Canada.
     
    Dear Mr. Moleschi:
     
    I am a Canadian Citizen.  I graduated from the University of British Columbia, Canada with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy.  I practiced as a pharmacist in British Columbia for a few years and moved to the United States and worked there for about ten years.  I wanted to return to practice as a pharmacist in British Columbia, Canada because I am a Canadian Citizen.  I found out today that for me to return to practice as a pharmacist in British Columbia, Canada, I need to write the follow exams:
     
    Jurisprudence Examination, PEBC examination, and Knowledge Assessment Examination every ten years. 
     
    I asked the College of Physicians and Nursing and found out that for Physicians to return to practice in a situation similar to mine, they have to write ZERO examinations.  For nurses to return to practice in a situation similar to mine, they have to write ZERO examinations, and both professions (Physicians and Nurses) do NOT have to write the knowledge assessment examination every ten years.  ONLY Pharmacists do.  That is why Physicians can retire at sixty five years old, nurses can retire at sixty five years old, but the average retirement age for pharmacists is ONLY around forty years old.
     
    I believe that physicians have blond hair and blue eyes.  Therefore, they are treated fairly.  I believe nurses have blond hair and blue eyes.  Therefore, they are treated fairly.  However, most pharmacists have dark hair, dark eyes, and darker skins.  Therefore, they are subjected to strict regulations and oppressions.  I believe the College of Pharmacists does NOT want to see Asian Canadians to be successful eventhough we have University educations.  Today, even nurses graduated from colleges are more successful than pharmacists with an University degree.  Why are pharmacists so unsuccessful?  That is because most pharmacists have dark hair, dark eyes, and darker skins.  Therefore, I believe there is racial discrimination against Asian Canadians because Asian Canadians have dark hair, dark eyes, and darker skins.  Us Asian Canadians want to be treated as a white person.  Us Asian Canadians want to be treated as someone with blond hair and blue eyes.  Us Asian Canadians want to be treated as regular Canadians.
     
    I want you to treat me as a white person.  I do NOT want you to discriminate against me because I am an Asian.  I want you to treat me like a physician or a nurse with blond hair and blue eyes.  Therefore, I do NOT want to write any examination because I do NOT want you to discriminate against me because I am an Asian.  I want you to return my pharmacist license so I can work as a pharmacist until I am sixty five years old NOT forty years old.  Us Asian Canadians DESERVE to be successful like any other Canadians.  Us Asian Canadians DESERVE to be treated like any other Canadians.  If you College of Pharmacists refuse to treat us Asian Canadians like any other Canadians, then I will leave my profession of pharmacy, and I will have LEGAL fights against you.  I will tell the whole world what you are and how racist you truly are.  Thank you. (7/25/2011)
    ReplyDelete

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