By Angela Hill

First Nation prepares to launch needle exchange

Jun 24, 2011 | 6:55 AM

STURGEON LAKE — During a workshop about HIV on Sturgeon Lake First Nation, Thursday, two elders openly sobbed as they remembered those they have lost because of the virus and addictions.

It was one of the first times people came together on the First Nation to openly talk about those they know who have HIV and AIDS.

In the past years the number of cases of HIV on the reserve, about 50 kilometres northwest of Prince Albert, have increased, with 11 new cases in 2010.

“We feel it’s vital that we need to increase the awareness of HIV and Hep C and all the STI infections that we’re starting to see a trend … the most rapid rise that we saw this past year is the HIV confirmed cases,” said Norma Rabbitskin, the senior health nurse/home-care co-ordinator for the First Nation.

“We’ve been working aggressively in the past year and a half to try and have a plan in place and it’s only in the last little while that we’ve picked up momentum.”

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The health care workers aren’t in it alone — it is a fight that involves the leadership, elders and students.

“One of the things (the elders) say is that if the community leads the leadership will follow, so I believe that and we want the leadership to be the voice,” Rabbitskin said.

Thursday was a part of a two-day workshop on HIV, Hepatitis C and addictions. It was a primer for the next step in community involvement, the introduction of a needle exchange through the addictions program at Sturgeon Lake.

“One of the biggest things is introducing more harm reduction activities in the community, as well integrating traditional health approached,” Rabbitskin said.

Maria Turner, youth representative on the health committee board, said she has seen, first-hand, the impact of drug addiction and HIV on her family.

She said she became involved in promoting new health initiatives because she wants support for people who need it and to improve the community.

“I don’t want little kids finding needles on the ground. I don’t want needles being left around by the people that use the needles. I think it’s a good program provided they follow the recommendations that go along with the needle exchange program,” she said.

The program is being rolled out with a mass education campaign to everyone from students in school to all the elders, said Rabbitskin.

“We had got a really good education on HIV and stuff like that, which is very important for us to be able to identify the epidemic we are having in our community,” said Mary Rose Naytowhow, an addictions worker on reserve.

Naytowhow is already seeing the benefit increased discussion about addictions and the associated issues.
In six months she has a list of 128 clients. They are getting some kind of help and they are starting to recognize their addictions and some of the problems that they do have, she said.

“I know what they are going through for life experience and how many people we have lost from HIV/AIDS and drugs and alcohol.”

The exchange is set to open in July. Staff education and policy was written with help from the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region, Rabbitskin said.

The next goal is beginning HIV testing in the reserve clinic, so people don’t need to leave the First Nation for testing and treatment, she said.

ahill@panow.com