Here’s why health care funds for First Nations children aren’t being spent – CBC

There’s a failure to connect available money to patients who need it

Mar 03, 2017

There have been countless reports about First Nations children on reserve not getting access to proper medical care, and the culprit is often assumed to be lack of proper funding.

But as physicians working with children in these communities, we’ve seen firsthand that the problem isn’t just a lack of money; it’s a failure to establish clear guidelines to connect available funds to the communities and patients who need them.

Health care for First Nations on reserve falls almost entirely under federal, rather than provincial, jurisdiction. In 2007, the House of Commons passed Jordan’s Principle, which establishes that First Nations children should have the same access to medical services as other Canadian children. In situations where it is unclear whether provincial or federal government should pay for medical devices and services, Jordan’s Principle holds that treatment must be provided immediately, with funding disputes to be resolved later.

Here’s why health care funds for First Nations children aren’t being spent – CBC

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