Just released by the Canadian Medical Association:
https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A7829d0a0-4334-34be-b61e-63240793e7e5&viewer%21megaVerb=group-discover
It is only in very recent years that the CMA has acknowledged antiIndigenous racism in the health system, with the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's report in 2015 marking a turning point for the CMA.
It is clear from this review that although the CMA has made strides in recent years on the path toward reconciliation, much work remains. The issuing of a formal apology to Indigenous Peoples is an important step in the right direction, and the creation of an Indigenous health goal in allyship with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples will continue to guide the CMA forward on its reconciliation journey.
The CMA's Indigenous health goal Indigenous Peoples achieve measurable, on-going improvements in health and wellness, supported by a transformed health system that: • is free of racism and discrimination; • upholds Indigenous Peoples' right to self-determination; • values, respects and holds safe space for Indigenous worldviews, medicine and healing practices; and • provides equitable access to culturally safe, trauma-informed care for all First Nations, Inuit and Métis.
"This goal is a bridge between where we are and where we want to be in the future. Indigenous Peoples - patients, their families and their communities - have had their voices devalued and dismissed in regard to our own health care. The Indigenous Guiding Circle is part of changing that."
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Lloyd Michener, MD
Professor Emeritus, Department of Family Medicine & Community Health, Duke School of Medicine
Adjunct Professor, Public Health Leadership, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health
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