Canada's Indian Health Transfer Policy: The Gull Bay Band Experience

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Abstract
The Federal Government of Canada presents the Indian Health Transfer Policy as a framework for achieving self-determination in health by Canada's native people. Health transfer permits indigenous bands and communities to engage in local administrative control over aspects of health care services currently provided by the Department of Health and Welfare, Medical Services Branch. An overview of the first phase of health transfer (pre-transfer) is documented in this paper. At the invitation of the Gull Bay Indian Band, a group of nurse-researchers conducted a community health assessment as part of the pre-transfer process. Key informant interviews and a community survey reveal health needs and concerns beyond the scope of the health transfer policy. That is, the major causes of poor health among the Gull Bay Band members were located outside the policy's sphere of influence. Furthermore. community expectations for improved health care programming would not be met under the existing policy. The federal gover...