Cape Dorset mobile tuberculosis screening clinic completed

News Release

Cape Dorset mobile tuberculosis screening clinic completed

Iqaluit, Nunavut (May 17, 2019) – The Department of Health today announced the successful completion of the territory’s third community-wide tuberculosis (TB) mobile screening clinic in Cape Dorset.

“The clinic in Cape Dorset is part of our government’s ongoing efforts to increase community awareness about TB, its prevention and to increase diagnosis and treatment of both active and latent TB,” said Minister of Health George Hickes. “The knowledge gained from the Qikiqtarjuaq, Whale Cove and Cape Dorset clinics will allow us to develop long-term community-based approaches that will help eliminate TB across the territory by 2030.”

The Cape Dorset TB clinic screened 80 per cent of community members over 12 weeks. While in Cape Dorset, the Department of Health also held several events, including a community feast and an information session, providing opportunities for community members to ask questions and receive information about TB and its transmission, screening and treatment.

This initiative was made possible with the collaboration of the Hamlet of Cape Dorset and Government of Nunavut (GN) departments of Community and Government Services and the Department of Education. These clinics were further supported by GN partners on the National TB Task Force, including Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the National Microbiology Lab and the Government of Canada.

For more information on TB and screening, please read the Tuberculosis Factsheet and the Tuberculin Skin Test Brochure.

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Media Contact:

Wende Halonen
Senior Communications Officer
Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs
867-975-6048
@email