Feds, province spar over First Nations flu kits

The Manitoba governmenthas announcedit will help pay for swine flumedical kitsthat native leaders planto distribute toevery home on every Indian reserve in the province.

The $1.5-million kits, which include masks, gloves, tissue, hand sanitizer, headache tablets, thermometers and information on flu symptoms, will be provided in consultation with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, the province said in announcing the initiative.

"I wish to extend our sincerest gratitude to [the government] for this offer," said AMC Grand Chief Ron Evans."In our conversations. we have always said the best way to help ease the threat from H1N1 is to focus on the people and not the politics," said Evans.

There are about 75,000 people living on 63 First Nations reserves in Manitoba.

The federal government which has responsibility for First Nations health has been criticized by the Manitoba chiefs for its handling of the H1N1 flu on reserves, which have been hit particularly hardby the virus.

Health Canada came under fire last month for delaying a shipment of hand sanitizer to reserves because the sanitizer contained alcohol.

Manitoba Health Minister Theresa Oswald denied the province was trying to make political hay with its decision to fund the medical kits. "The illness doesn't know jurisdiction, it doesn't know boundaries. It's really not the time for finger-pointing, it's the time for swift action."

But in Ottawa, some were wondering why Manitoba is taking action since the reserves are ready to fight the flu.

Federal Minister Leona Aglukkaq said First Nations have been adequately equippedto handlea flu outbreak.

"First Nations are receiving the care they need based on the provincial guidelines for appropriate care related to H1N1," she said."The nursing stations in First Nations and remote communities are adequately equipped, and Health Canada provides the funding to First Nations communities for the development and implementation of the pandemic plan. We continue to follow up on these issues and on these plans to ensure that First Nations are well prepared for the more serious outbreak.

"All remote and isolated First Nations communities have adequate supply, or access to pain relief medication through their nursing station," she said.

Dr. David Butler-Jones, Canada's chief publichealth officer, seemed to suggest the kits being provided by Manitoba are not entirely necessary.

"Clearly things like gloves are not actually useful in this setting. Masks, surgical masks, any kinds of masks, have limited use," he said. "I mean in certain circumstances, when you're caring for an ill person you've already been exposed. So keeping your hands clean, keeping your hands away from your eyes and nose and mouth.

"No matter where you are as a family, there's some basic things that do make sense and other things that make less sense."

The Manitoba government previously sent First Nations communities more than 2,600 respirator masks, 9,000 surgical masks, 45 courses of Tamiflu and 858 litres of hand sanitizer.