Indigenous communities in the NWT are not prepared for a possible outbreak of COVID-19 and assistance is needed.

SA国际影视传媒淲e donSA国际影视传媒檛 have the medical resources they have in the cities. We don't have the (medical) respiratory systems in our communities. If something were to happen we wouldn't be able to take in more patients,SA国际影视传媒� Garry Bailey, president of the NWT Metis Nation told News/North on Friday.

SA国际影视传媒淭here are other health issues as well that weSA国际影视传媒檝e been dealing with: diabetes, asthma, elderly people are monitored daily. Anything can happen.SA国际影视传媒�

More than $11 million allocated for NWT communities

The federal government announced $305 million in funding through the Indigenous Community Support Fund in March. First Nations communities in the NWT will receive $6 million and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) will receive $5.8 million. Metis communities across Canada have been allocated $30 million for their share.

Bailey said heSA国际影视传媒檚 optimistic about funding for the NWT Metis Nation but added that the government hadSA国际影视传媒檛 yet released the funding criteria.

SA国际影视传媒淚 hope to hear something by April 6. WeSA国际影视传媒檝e got to develop an application for it,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淔unding would definitely help us... WeSA国际影视传媒檙e down on masks and hand sanitizers. WeSA国际影视传媒榬e short of all that stuff. Another big concern is our nurses are doing shift work when they come into our communities. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e concerned theySA国际影视传媒檒l be short-staffed. It could get down to the point where weSA国际影视传媒檙e down to only one nurse. Our nurses (might) end up almost working 24 hours a day.SA国际影视传媒�

The Metis Nation president said a lot of its members have lost their jobs because of the economic fallout from the pandemic and people are trying to get out onto the land to maintain social distancing.

Dene communities in dire need

The needs of Dene communities in the NWT are also high and Dene Nation chief Norman Yakeleya told reporters on March 26 that SA国际影视传媒渆veryone is trying really hard, but weSA国际影视传媒檙e not ready.SA国际影视传媒�

The chief, speaking over satellite phone from his cabin near Fort Providence, outlined the findings of a survey of the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 27 Dene communities, which comprise 15,000 people.

"We have at least 3,200 people that likely need additional medical assistance because theySA国际影视传媒檙e in the high-risk (health) category,SA国际影视传媒� Yakeleya said, citing issues such as diabetes, heart conditions and pregnant women. SA国际影视传媒淓ighty-nine per cent of the communities indicate they need additional medical assistance. All of them require disposable gloves, masks and sanitizers.

SA国际影视传媒淔orty-seven per cent have indicated they have no way of medically transporting any ill people to the larger centresSA国际影视传媒� because many communities are accessible only by plane, he said.

The capacity to conduct swab tests for COVID-19 was uncertain because many remote communities don't have full-time nurses and Yakeleya said he has been asking the health authorities to set up drive-through clinics in the communities.

SA国际影视传媒淭he picture in our small communities indicates theySA国际影视传媒檙e in dire straits," he said. "We need help. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e asking the federal government to do whatever it can to get the funding into our Indigenous communities.SA国际影视传媒�

Yakeleya said the Dene Nation has also asked the GNWT to increase the quantities of medical supplies in the communities. 

News/North reached out to the IRC for comment on the coronavirus situation but didnSA国际影视传媒檛 receive a response by press time.

As of April 2, there were two positive tests for COVID-19 in the NWT, one in Yellowknife and one in Inuvik.