Government of Canada congratulates Manitoba Indigenous organizations on First Nation Foot Care Program

Indigenous-led program will improve care to First Nations members living with diabetes in Manitoba

OTTAWA, Sept. 20, 2017 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada recognizes that the best health outcomes for Indigenous peoples are achieved when health programs can be designed, developed, and lead by community.

In that spirit, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health, and the Honourable Jane Philpott, Minister of Indigenous Services, today congratulated the First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba (Nanaandawewigamig) and the First Nations Diabetes Leadership Council in Manitoba for their leadership in developing the First Nation Basic Foot Care Program. 

This innovative foot care service will help clients in all 63 Manitoba First Nations communities to maintain their health and lower their risks from diabetes-related foot complications. Patients living with diabetes who have foot ulcers are at risk for hospitalizations, lower extremity infections, and amputations. First Nations populations experience diabetes at a rate more than four times higher than the general Canadian population.

The Government of Canada is pleased to provide $19 million over the next four years to support First Nation-led basic foot care services in all Manitoba First Nations communities. Services will be provided by certified foot care nurses through local Tribal Councils or directly by community health services.

Quotes

"As the Minister of Health, I am pleased to support this important First Nations-led initiative. This program will provide First Nation communities across Manitoba with access to basic diabetes foot care and will help reduce the risk of amputations related to the disease."

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Health

"I am thrilled to see projects like this one where Indigenous peoples are developing and implementing relevant solutions to issues identified in their communities. Self-determination, including the ability for communities to direct and control health services, is critical for community wellness, and as part of our renewed relationship with Indigenous peoples."

The Honourable Jane Philpott
Minister of Indigenous Services

Quick Facts

• A 2009 report by Manitoba Health on diabetes in the province projected that the rate of amputations amongst Manitoba First Nations people with diabetes would increase dramatically; from 95 in 1995, to 185 in 2005, to 300 in 2015, and to 445 by 2025.
• Many First Nations communities in Manitoba do not currently have access to basic foot care, an essential element of diabetes programming.

Associated Links
First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba
Diabetes Integration Project
Manitoba First Nations Diabetes Committee

SOURCE Health Canada