Parents and guardians travelling for a child’s medical needs can now bring their infants, Health Minister George Hickes announced in the legislative assembly on Feb. 22.
Another new option through the GN’s expanded medical travel policy is for all pregnant women to have a medical escort. Previously only those who had a medical requirement for an escort or those covered under Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program were entitled to an escort.The changes were made after extensive consultations, according to Hickes.
“Health recognizes that finding appropriate child care in Nunavut is a challenge and that infants are best supported staying with a guardian, when possible,” Hickes said. “It is also essential that we provide sufficient support to mothers travelling to give birth away from home. These new policy enhancements reflect positive changes to how we conduct medical travel and help improve the overall medical travel experience for our clients, escorts, and their families.”