World Health Day: Honouring First Nations teachings of health and wellness – FNHA
Apr 02, 2026
A message from Dr. Evan Adams, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Public Health, FNHA Office of the Chief Medical Officer
At the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), we ground wellness in the teachings of our ancestors and the lived experiences of our people. We see health and wellness as wholistic—caring for our mind, body, emotions, and spirit—and we promote and support programs and services that strengthen wellness through our relationships with culture, community, family, and the land.
Specifically, we advance a Two‑Eyed Seeing approach in our work to improve healthcare programs, services, and health outcomes for First Nations people in BC. Two‑Eyed Seeing acknowledges that First Nations methods, medicines, and models of healing are not supplementary to mainstream medicine but equally valid. It creates space for First Nations people to be true partners in our own circle of care and reclaims cultural knowledge as a guiding force.
