Q&A Racism in health care is ‘a real thing,’ says Indigenous physician – CBC

Overt or subtle discrimination ‘can have very real consequences,’ says Alika Lafontaine

Aug 15, 2016

The president of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada says racism in health care can have ‘very real and sometimes negative’ consequences.

Recently, an Inuvialuit woman from Aklavik, N.W.T., said her uncle died from the effects of a stroke after health care staff mistook the signs of the stroke for drunkenness.

Dr. Alika Lafontaine, an anesthesiologist in northern Alberta and the president of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, spoke with Lawrence Nayally of CBC Radio’s Trail’s End about the racism and discrimination Indigenous people face in Canada’s health care system.

Read More: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/alika-lafontaine-bias-racism-health-care-1.3722120