Vaccine delivery in the North. Registered Nurse Brittany Favel (left) and her grandfather Jimmy Favel (right) received the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine from Kylie Merasty in early January at an Île-à-la-Crosse long term care home. (Submitted photo/Saskatchewan Health Authority)

By Glenn Hicks

COVID-19

Saskatchewan First Nations to receive direct allocation of vaccines from next month

Mar 26, 2021 | 4:03 PM

The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) is applauding a move that will see 14 per cent of COVID-19 vaccines in Saskatchewan go direct to First Nations.

The FSIN said the direct allocation – starting April 5 and lasting a year – will provide an effective and culturally supportive vaccine program in First Nation communities, while the provincial government said it would further protect First Nations residents.

The logistics of the move sees the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), Indigenous Services Canada (ICS), the Northern Inter Tribal Health Authority (NITHA) and Saskatchewan Ministry of Health collaborate on allocation and delivery.

According to the agreement, the Ministry of Health will provide vaccine directly to ISC on a weekly basis. ISC will receive 14 per cent of the province’s allocation, plus a 20 per cent increase over the population numbers to allow for off-reserve populations who may return to their home First Nation to be vaccinated.

“First Nations are in the highest risk category for the COVID-19 virus and our vaccinations should be top priority” said PAGC Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte in a media release.

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MLTC Tribal Chief Richard Ben said, “COVID-19 variants are on the rise in Saskatchewan and have become a huge concern for our First Nation communities. This will help ease some of the worries that our members currently face.”

In terms of the agreement ISC and NITHA will follow the current priority sequencing and have their own booking system and distribution to on-reserve populations. Working in partnership with First Nations leadership, clinics on-reserve will be established that meet the needs of each community.

In several communities across the province, local First Nations are working with the Saskatchewan Health Authority to establish culturally respectful vaccine clinics that will provide vaccines for any Saskatchewan resident.

–

glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @princealbertnow