Restoring Hope

More than a year after two murders and a firebombing that nearly took the life of a community elder, residents of Eabametoong First Nation have something positive to be proud about.

On Tuesday the remote fly-in community unveiled their revamped and renovated nursing station to a group of visiting dignitaries, ending four years of turmoil that began when band leaders made a plea for a new facility, citing mould and water damage in the original building.

Though it took a lot longer to happen than recently elected Chief Harry Papah might have liked, he said the end result is all that matters.

“It’s going to mean our First Nation members don’t have to go to Thunder Bay in order to get their dental appointments and x-rays. It’s going to be better when a person has something like a broken arm or pneumonia,” said Papah, who entertained the likes of Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Stan Beardy and Ruth Ann Onley, the wife of Lt. Gov. David Onley in celebration of the occasion.

“It’s going to be a benefit for us in those areas. The examining rooms are a little bit bigger than they were before and (my people) are going to see a lot more technical (equipment).”

Papah said the benefits of the new centre are far-reaching, and he anticipates them being felt throughout Ontario’s Far North.

“Our neighbouring communities can probably come by and get dental appointments here. I think that’s a key area that we can use our facility for that purpose,” he said.

Originally built in 1971, the Port Hope Nursing Station was renamed the Kevin C. Sagutcheway Memorial Nursing Station in 1985, in honour of a nine-year-old resident who died as the result of complications from a brain tumour.
Several members of his family, including his aunt Lena Sagutcheway, were on hand Tuesday and helped cut colourful ceremonial ribbons to officially open the centre – which in fact has been serving the community for some time.

“I think it’s very good that we have access to dental work, rather than having to go in and out of the community for dental work. We can have medical care in the community,” she said, voicing pride that one of Eabametoong’s central landmarks will continue to bear her nephew’s name.

Former chief Cornelius Nate, one of several guest speakers at an afternoon gathering and barbecue, said a bigger, better facility means better care for Eabametoong residents.

“The nurses who are staffed in the community here, they now have a better place to work,” Nate said. “We have been frustrated for many years, both nurses and patients, for not having adequate facilities and resources.

“For the nurse to work more efficiently, they need adequate equipment and resources to help the community.”

Beardy, who earlier in the day accompanied Onley to Fort Severen, said the revitalized nursing station is part of his goal of self-governance, self-sufficiency and self-determination for NAN communities throughout the North.

But, he warned, it should not be mistaken as the cure to all Eabametoong’s problems. Prescription drug abuse – the community now has a detox centre to fight the problem – remains rampant and must not chew up all the health-care resources available, said Beardy, reminding residents they have a role to play in their own well being.

“We have to be very careful that we don’t burn out our nursing staff with the addiction burden of prescription drug abuse,” Beardy said.

The building renovations were funded in part through Health Canada. A spokesman said there were minor delays as the two sides determined what was needed and what was feasible, but in the end they have a facility everyone can be proud to call their own.

“It’s going to be more functional than the one that was previously here,” Mike Lovett said.