
Organisation
Organisation
The Inuulitsivik Health Center currently covers seven communities north of the 55th parallel. Not only do these communities are far from major centers, but they are far from each other. This isolation is marked by the fact that the main practical link with the outside by plane. Air Inuit provides air services on the coast of Hudson Bay from Montreal.
The climate displays real Nordic conditions: summer days rarely reaching 20 º C, winter days can get as low as minus 40 º C, and the winter generally imposes its harshness from November to May. Of course, the extent of the coast explains the wide range of temperatures sometime seen between communities. For example, it is difficult to compare the climate of Kuujjuaraapik to Ivujivik since the distance between them is almost the same as between Montreal and Radisson.
The Puvirnituq hospital has 25 beds and provides clinical and preventive services, minor surgery, dentistry, longterm and short-term care and perinatal care. Healthwise, our services are connected with the department of patient services in Montreal (Northern Quebec Module).
II – The philosophy
The main objective of the Inuulitsivik Health Center is to provide quality health care through a health promotion approach tailored to the level of the community. The main objective of this approach is to raise awareness on health and the achievement of this objective is the primary responsibility of people themselves. This responsibility also implies the participation in choosing their own social workers, and determining program priorities. The health center has to adapt its programs, policies and procedures in accordance with the expectations of the Community. Inuulitsivik recognizes the importance of education, which has a direct impact on the state of health care, and considers knowledge sharing a critical part to the advancement of health programs and social services.
The development and training during employment are essential elements to get a spot in the organization and adapt the services. Cooperation and exchanges are required not only between health professionals, but also between them and local workers.
Administrators and professionals assume an important role in developing education programs and services provided to the communities, respecting the culture and traditional values. Training local health workers is the cornerstone of the company and the success of this journey is the ultimate goal.
In this search for development and maintenance of quality services despite the lack of highly specialized personnel, Inuulitsivik try to create links with other centers that will allow maximum use of local resources.
Applying this philosophy to achieve specific and global objectives is considered of major importance and will inevitably promote the state of health in the communities of Hudson Bay.
The Regional Board of Health and Social Services, created in 1978 (Convention of the James Bay and Northern Quebec), assure the coordination and administration of the services. The Ungava Hospital (CH-CSS) in Kuujjuaq and Hudson Hospital (Inuulitsivik) in Puvirnituq provide health services in all communities of Nunavik. CLSCs (community clinics) are the points of service where a multidisciplinary team (nurses, nunalini aaniasiurtiapitt, community workers) provides front-line services. For more specialized care, patients are referred to regional hospitals or by air to Montreal (Montreal General Hospital for Children, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal Chest, Royal Victoria, Montreal Neurological Institute, Rehabilitation Institute , etc.)..
Local health committees exist in all communities. Composed of representatives elected by the population, they are the link between population and CLSC services.