A tuberculosis (TB) outbreak has been declared in Arviat.
TB, a bacterial infection that usually affects the lungs, can spread through the air when an affected person coughs, sneezes or spits. TB is curable and preventable.
Arviat Mayor Joe Savikataaq Jr. said the TB outbreak was declared in the community on Feb. 11.
Savikataaq said he's working with health officials to help bring the disease under control.
He said health officials aren't releasing too much information about the TB outbreak.
“They're not giving us any numbers at all, as far as how many people may be affected with TB,” said Savikataaq. “Even though I wanted the numbers and asked for them, they told me that's confidential information.
“I did not agree with that, but they wouldn't tell us.
“Everyone is so 'woke,' so sensitive now, but it's hard to understand why they can't tell you how many people are affected.
“I told them, look, when we had Covid, we gave out numbers daily, so what's the difference?”
Savikataaq said although they weren't informed of exact figures, they were told by health officials that the numbers are still low in the community.
He said they were also made aware that the health department wanted to conduct targeted testing relating to the TB outbreak.
“They told us the targeted testing would allow them to get to the source of where the TB is.
“For several years now, we've known that there's TB in Arviat. For the past three years, myself, hamlet council and my dad, our MLA (Joe Savikataaq Sr.), have been begging the Department of Health to do a community-wide screening, but they kept saying no. And look where we're at now.
“They told us the screening wouldn't be practical due to the amount of staff and money that would be required.”
Savikataaq said Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) wants to see TB eliminated by 2030.
He said NTI is providing funding to battle the disease in other places, including several communities in the Baffin.
“They have community-wide screening, but that's because their population is a lot smaller, which is easier to handle.
“But, we did get a contribution agreement from NTI and we're hiring a TB co-ordinator to help the Department of Health, so a lot of things are on the go.
“The chief public health officer (Dr. Ekua Agyemang) is approaching this from a different angle. Rather than doing a community-wide screening, they're doing targeted screening of the known people who frequent that house. I'm OK with that. As long as they're making progress.”
