AMC Calls for Urgent Improvements in On-Reserve Health Services Following Alarming Report on Diabetes-Related Amputations
September 27, 2024
Treaty One Territory, Manitoba
AMC Communications
Treaty One Territory, Winnipeg – The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) is underscoring the critical need for improved on-reserve health services following the release of a new report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information earlier this week. The report, Inequalities in Diabetes-Associated Lower Limb Amputations, reveals that Manitoba has the highest rate of diabetic leg amputations in the country, with First Nations individuals experiencing these amputations at a rate seven times higher than those in urban areas.
Acting Grand Chief Betsy Kennedy states, “The findings of this report are deeply concerning and highlight the urgent need for systemic changes in healthcare delivery for First Nations people. Reliable on-reserve primary care, health promotion programs, and stronger partnerships with federal and provincial governments are essential to creating equitable access for our 63 First Nations. We must address these healthcare disparities head-on to ensure the well-being of our people.”
The report indicated that barriers to healthcare access led to delayed care and increased complications, ultimately resulting in higher rates of lower extremity amputations. These barriers not only create negative experiences at urban healthcare centres but also foster distrust among patients, leading to disengagement from care and poor health outcomes. Both patients and healthcare providers suggested building stronger partnerships between urban and rural healthcare systems, improving education for patients and providers, and identifying innovative strategies to enhance patients’ overall health.
The report further details that the high incidence of diabetes-related lower limb amputations among First Nations people in Manitoba is directly linked to the lack of early screening and detection services available on-reserve. Acting AMC Grand Chief Betsy Kennedy emphasizes that this absence constitutes a violation of First Nations’ Treaty Right to Health.
“Healthcare services are a fundamental aspect of the Treaty commitment to uphold a Nation-to-Nation relationship, ensuring the well-being of our people in exchange for sharing the land,” said Acting AMC Grand Chief Betsy Kennedy. “The disparities in health outcomes between First Nations and non-First Nations people are stark and concerning, and this reality highlights a serious problem that the federal government must address. Preventive care is a human right, and it is imperative that the federal government fulfill their commitment to First Nations in Manitoba by providing more physicians, nurses, and diagnostic services for our relatives living on-reserve.”
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs urges the federal and provincial governments to prioritize the health and well-being of First Nations in Manitoba. “It is one thing to profess a commitment to reconciliation,” continued Acting Grand Chief Kennedy. “It is quite another to actively listen to the needs of First Nations and to fulfill those commitments with meaningful action.”
For more information, please contact:
Communications Team
Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
Email: media@manitobachiefs.com
About the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs
The AMC was formed in 1988 by the Chiefs in Manitoba to advocate on issues that commonly affect First Nations in Manitoba. AMC is an authorized representative of all 63 First Nations in Manitoba with a total of more than 172,000 First Nations citizens in the province, accounting for approximately 12 percent of the provincial population. AMC represents a diversity of Anishinaabe, Nehetho / Ininew, Anisininew, Denesuline, and Dakota Oyate peoples.