Whooping cough crisis jumps to 513 cases

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An urgent all-Chiefs meeting on February 5 was called by Hobbema chiefs and the Indian Association of Alberta to discuss the effectiveness of the health care system on the heels of a whooping cough epidemic that has affected Native people in central and northern Alberta.

Hobbema has now reported 413 cases, up from 250 the past week and the crisis is expected to get worse. Other areas that have been hit are Atikameg with 57 cases, Driftpile with 40, and Sucker Creek with three.

Alberta medical officials have warned that children could die before the disease is brought under control. They urge all families have their children immunized and treated immediately.

"We need serious solutions to this immediate crisis and serious answers about why the immunization levels are so low and what further jeopardy our people are in," said IAA president Roy Louis.

Last wee, preliminary discussions were held between eleven of the 22 Alberta chiefs attending the meeting, said chairman Albert Crier.

Alberta Native leaders would like to see the federal government fund Native health education to provide cross-cultural workshops at the community level. They would also like to involve elders and healers in the health care field.

These health issues will be further discussed at an all-chiefs meeting to be held from March 20-22 in Edmonton.

While answers to Indian health care need to be further discussed, the epidemic situation is under control, according to Theresa Bull, executive director of the Hobbema Indian Health Center.

Since the four Hobbema reserves have been hit with the whooping cough epidemic in early January. Health and Welfare Canada has provided the health center with extra doctors and staff.

"We have an excellent program and are handling it well," assures Theresa Bull.

Not everyone believes that this will be the last epidemic to hit Native people. Whooping cough attacks the respiratory tract causing severe coughing attacks.

"There's been epidemics before, there'll be epidemics again, I'm told," said Chief Victor Buffalo of the Samson band. "We've got to address this."

In 1989, 667 cases of whooping cough were reported in Alberta, the highest level since the 1960s.