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When Saskatchewan rolls up its sleeves for a COVID-19 vaccine, the Indigenous population should be on the priority list.
That was the message from the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) executive Wednesday afternoon, following the government’s vaccine preparedness press conference.
“It is imperative that First Nations are on the priority list for the COVID-19 vaccine. First Nations people make up an overwhelming number of vulnerable community members, both on and off-reserve, therefore, requiring priority access to vaccinations once they are made available to the public,” a press release from the FSIN reads.
“Our First Nations people have an Inherent and Treaty Right to Health and with the Medicine Chest Clause, this means First Nations people are expecting the COVID-19 vaccines to be readily available in our communities once they’re shipped out,” FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron stated in the release.
“We must work together with both levels of government on the prioritization, delivery and distribution of this vaccine. We demand that the Treaty Right to Health and Medicine Chest Clause be honoured.”
FSIN Vice-Chief David Pratt recently contracted COVID-19. He offered his thoughts within the release Wednesday, as well.
“Our First Nations communities have higher rates of diabetes, heart disease, asthma and other health conditions that put them at an even higher risk of serious complications or even life-threatening problems if they contract COVID-19,” he states.
“These elders and vulnerable community members must be the first to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. It must go directly to the First Nation as soon as possible to ensure that these vulnerable members are protected. Every day they go without this vaccine, their lives and the lives of their communities most vulnerable are at exceptional risk. We have a limited window to get these vaccines into our communities. We must move now.”
The provincial government announced Wednesday that it expects to start vaccinating residents against COVID-19 early in the new year, as soon as shipments are received from the federal government.
“Based on the advice of public health officials, we will be prioritizing who will receive it first,” Provincial Health Minister Paul Merriman said Wednesday. “There will be more detail on this presentation next week, but it’s no surprise that we expect health-care workers and the residents in our long-term care and personal care homes to receive the first vaccines.”
The FSIN represents 74 First Nations across Saskatchewan.