Indigenous Health

As rural physicians who provide services across many Indigenous communities, we felt it was imperative to show our support towards helping to address systemic racism and support cultural sensitivity. The SRPC has created an Indigenous Health Webinar Series to help educate our members.  We hope that these videos are viewed and shared widely, helping to bring about positive change in our communities.

We ask SRPC members to listen to and learn from Indigenous patients and community members. To help identify injustices and inequities and advocate for change in policies and laws negatively impacting Indigenous patients.

Truth and Reconciliation Statement

September 30, 2021

As members of the Society of Rural Physicians of Canada (SRPC) and its Indigenous Committee, we are profoundly saddened by the discovery of the many unmarked graves containing the remains of Indigenous children at the sites of numerous residential schools across the country. We are reminded that we must all listen and acknowledge the truths of our colonial past and present. The SRPC strongly condemns the systemic racism in policy and decision-making that continues today as a direct result of our country’s colonial history. These policies have caused unquantifiable damage to Indigenous Peoples and continues to reverberate in our day-to-day work as rural and remote physicians. The SRPC believes our duty as healthcare providers is to identify legislation and health policies that lead to racially inequitable outcomes and challenge our current and future governments to move ahead on a path to truth and reconciliation.

Read the full statement : Truth_and_Reconciliation_Statement_FINAL.pdf

Our third webinar, with Dr. Karen Lawford, PhD, RSC Registered midwife, Anishinaabe midwife Assistant Professor, Department of Gender Studies Queen’s University.  Moderated by Dr. Sarah Giles.

Objectives:

1. Begin to understand the history of Canada in relation to Indigenous Peoples.
2. Initiate an appreciation of the extent to which the Euro-Canadian biomedical model—including those working within this model—have purposefully marginalized Indigenous midwives.
3. Recognize the complexity of Indigenous Peoples’ relationships with healthcare systems and healthcare providers.
   
4. Encourage modification of the provision of healthcare to be grounded in an anti-oppressive model of care.

Hosted: Monday, September 20th at 8pm EST.

Objectives

1. Define cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, cultural competency, cultural safety, and cultural humility.
2. Explain the historical impact of residential schools and how the TRC Calls to Action contribute to reconciliation.
3. Describe briefly the demographics, health, and social issues that affect Indigenous populations.
4. Discuss how racism has negatively affected the health and well-being of Indigenous peoples and ways to address it in your workplace.
5. Learn pearls to effectively interact with and give culturally safe care to Indigenous patients, families, and communities.