OTTAWA, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) — More than half of Inuit people in Canada reported having traveled 1,500 kilometers or more to access health care, Statistics Canada said today.
In a recent survey by the national statistics agency, 51.8 percent of Inuit responded that they had to travel 1,500 kilometers or more to receive medical care, and another 18.2 percent traveled between 1,000 and 1,500 kilometers.
For some indigenous people, extensive travel is necessary to access medical care and this can lead to financial problems, emotional stress, anxiety and feelings of isolation, the agency added.
According to the agency, a total of 40 percent of Inuit, 18 percent of Canada’s off-reserve First Nations and 16 percent of Métis had to leave their community to have access to health care services.
More than a quarter of the country’s indigenous people cannot meet their healthcare needs. Among off-reserve first nations and Inuit, a commonly reported reason was that health services were not available in their area or were too far away, Statistics Canada added. End
