Reserve health care 'less than second-class': MKO

A public inquest should be held into the death of a young Manitoba man on God's River First Nation, the agency representing northern chiefs said Wednesday.

Kirby Wood, 28, died this week, hours after receiving care at a local nursing station. His family says he went there last weekend for medical help only to be sent home and rushed back prior to dying.

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) acting Grand Chief Garrison Settee said he believes the young man's death is linked to inadequate health care services available in remote Manitoba communities.

"The people in our communities question the quality of service from health care providers and consider the health care system in northern Manitoba as less than second class," Settee said.

"If the same type of health care existed in our communities as we find in the city of Winnipeg the patient would have had additional medical tests performed that may have saved his life," he added.

Health Canada has said it has launched a review into Wood's death.