Aug 29, 2022
A First Nation in northern Ontario says it is in a health-care crisis due to a severe nursing shortage.
The Kashechewan First Nation nursing station normally operates with nine primary care nurses but for the past month that number has been down to three.
As a result, health director Jonathan Solomon says it is emergency services only.
“The walks-ins that used to come in every day or appointments, they don’t even take appointments,” he says. “Blood work, people with diabetes or prenatals. We’ve got women here that haven’t had their prenatal appointments for quite some time now.”
Solomon says the situation is further complicated by the fact Kashechewan is located on the shore of James Bay and is a fly-in-only community for most of the year.