Nunavut to allow escorts for unilingual elders on medical travel
Health Minister Paul Okalik announced policy change yesterday to applause from MLAs
In the territorial legislature yesterday, Nunavut's health minister announced that his department will now allow escorts for unilingual Inuktitut-speaking elders on medical travel.
"Any elder who wants to take an escort will go with an escort when travelling," Minister Paul Okalik announced yesterday in Inuktitut to applause from MLAs.
The government's policy on escorts for medical travel has been a major point of debate in the legislature since a policy change in 2013 only allowed escorts if a medical facility did not have translators available. In all other cases, elders were expected to rely on translators at health care locations in other regions.
A similar issue was raised in the Northwest Territories in late January at a Dene Nation health symposium.
Following a departmental investigation into the policy, Okalik reversed the change, stating that, unlike translators, escorts are available at all hours of the day. Okalik also said escorts can help reduce stress for elders during medical travel.
He says the department doesn't want elders to miss their appointments or have to get around the cities by themselves. The policy change is effective immediately.