Federal government invests in Indigenous health research
- EFN Staff | June 28, 2017
The Canadian government is investing $8 million dollars in a cross-country mentorship program for First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples interested in health research.
Minister of Health Jane Philpott announced today that the Canadian Institute of Health Research is creating the Indigenous Mentorship Program for Indigenous undergraduate and graduate students or professionals. The program will provide learning opportunities for those pursuing health research in their studies or careers.
“I am proud to announce the launch of this network to help build capacity for the next generation of Indigenous health researchers,” Philpott said in a press release.
The Minister said the program is an effort to break down barriers for Indigenous people trying to enter the health field and also make services more effective.
“This will also help us reach our goal of delivering health services that are culturally appropriate, building trust and encouraging Indigenous peoples to access the health care system,” said Philpott.
The network will be made up of eight teams located across Canada. They will be in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. It will incorporate a Two-Eyed Seeing approach that combines traditional Indigenous knowledge with Western perspectives.
“This investment is an acknowledgement both of the great potential of our Indigenous early career investigators and of the importance of passing on knowledge from one generation to the next,” said Carrie Bourassa, scientific director of the CIHR Institute of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health.
“The ripples that we are creating today supporting young Indigenous investigators will be felt for years to come,” said Bourassa.
The network is a response to a current shortage of Indigenous healthcare professionals, according to the release. It is also an effort on the part of government to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action around healthcare.