What a Cape Dorset baby's death reveals about Nunavut's health care
Nurse promoted despite numerous complaints lodged against her
Nunavut put the public health of Cape Dorset "at risk" by mishandling a nurse facing numerous complaints, according to internal government emails obtained by CBC News. The government ended up promoting her to the community's top nursing post.
One of the complaints stemmed from the 2012 death of a three-month-old Inuk boy, Makibi Timilak, who died from a common viral infection after the nurse allegedly refused to see him.
The nurse faces nearly 20 other allegations, including that she brought a premature baby to a smoke-filled party and refused to see other patients. The government also found her guilty on two occasions of harassing co-workers.
After the baby's death, the nurse was promoted to the health centre's acting nurse-in-charge. At least twice, health department directors wanted to dismiss the nurse over mounting concerns, but she was never let go.
To learn more about why Nunavut didn't dismiss the nurse and why the child's family is speaking out, read CBC's in-depth investigation: Death and Denial in Cape Dorset.
