Alcohol fears delayed flu help

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'We find it outrageous to delay essential supplies, like hand sanitizer, to northern Manitoba First Nations in the middle of a flu outbreak' -- AMC acting Grand Chief Donavan Fontaine (SARAH KEARNEY/ FREE PRESS ARCHIVES)

OTTAWA -- Shipments of hand sanitizers to northern Manitoba First Nations facing a flu outbreak were delayed because of concerns about sending large quantities of alcohol-based products to dry reserves.

At a Senate committee hearing Tuesday looking at the outbreak of H1N1 influenza on reserves, Health Canada assistant deputy minister Anne-Marie Robinson confirmed officials from her department and aboriginal leaders discussed the alcohol issue because some of the communities do have a high rate of alcohol addiction, and there have been thefts before of hand sanitizers on some reserves.

"For the vast majority of people it's not an issue, but that discussion was had with the best interests of our clients in mind," she said.

The discussions included looking at alternatives to alcohol-based sanitizers, but Robinson said when a non-alcohol-based alternative was found, it was unavailable and is still on back order.

In the meantime, the alcohol-based products have been shipped to St. Theresa Point and Garden Hill, the two communities hardest hit by the outbreak. Hundreds of people in both communities reported respiratory illnesses in the last two months, and more than two dozen confirmed cases of the flu have been diagnosed there. Many patients have been flown to Winnipeg for emergency hospitalization, where some still remain in intensive care on ventilators.

The hand sanitizers were distributed door to door in St. Theresa Point, but in Garden Hill, the 2,500 bottles of sanitizer are being doled out more carefully because of the alcohol content, said Chief David Harper.

Garden Hill has banned all alcohol products from the reserve, and Harper said when he requested sanitizer from Health Canada he specifically asked for the non-alcohol format or wipes.

He bought cases of sanitizer wipes himself when Health Canada didn't respond quickly enough and is frustrated Health Canada sent alcohol versions.

"It's a concern for us," said Harper.

But the Assembly of First Nations told the Senate committee Tuesday delaying shipments of sanitizer over concerns about the alcohol content was devastating to the push to stop the spread of the illness.

"It's absolutely outrageous," said Dr. Kim Barker, the senior public health adviser for the AFN.

Manitoba Senator Sharon Carstairs, who pushed to have the Senate aboriginal affairs committee hold a hearing on the flu outbreak, said the hand sanitizer debate "represented the kind of paternalism we have treated First Nations with for a very long time."

More than half the homes in both St. Theresa Point and Garden Hill don't have running water, so normal public health advice for people to wash their hands frequently with soap and water is more difficult.

Barker urged the committee to pressure Health Canada and Indian and Northern Affairs to put together a task force to look at what went wrong in St. Theresa Point and Garden Hill, and improve the pandemic plan for First Nations before the flu virus returns in the fall.

"If there is no improvement in planning and services, any increase in the virulence (of the virus) could have a tragic impact on First Nations communities," said Barker.

Aboriginal communities are believed to have been hit harder by the virus because of poor living conditions and higher instances of chronic diseases. More than two-thirds of the 31 patients in Manitoba who were placed on a respirator due to H1N1 were aboriginal.

Barker said applying the same pandemic plan that is established for all of Canada to First Nations is ridiculous because it doesn't take into account the realities of living in remote reserves.

Robinson said Health Canada is preparing for the worst-case scenarios for the virus to return stronger and more virulent this fall.

She said a vaccine is expected to be prepared by then and there will be enough to vaccinate every Canadian who wants it, including First Nations.

A plan is underway right now to determine who will get the vaccine first. Carstairs said with all the trouble Health Canada had just getting hand sanitizers to two First Nations, she hopes the agency is planning now on how to get vaccines to all 200 remote reserves in the country.

In a statement, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs was highly critical of Health Canada.

"We find it outrageous to delay essential supplies, like hand sanitizer, to northern Manitoba First Nations in the middle of a flu outbreak," says AMC acting Grand Chief Donavan Fontaine.

"We do not know if disclaimers were attached with the shipments, warning adults to keep the product out of the reach of children and away from flames.''

mia.rabson@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 24, 2009 A4