Setting the Context Circumpolar Health and Its Challenges Eva Kruemmel, ICC Canada Office
ICC: Who we are ICC Chukotka (Russia) ICC Alaska (USA) ICC Greenland ICC Canada 155,000 Inuit live in the Arctic spread across Greenland, Canada, Alaska (USA) and Chukotka (Russia). The Inuit Circumpolar Council advocates for Inuit rights internationally.
ICC: What we do Environment Health Human Rights Culture and Language Arctic Sovereignty Russian cooperation Environment includes: climate change, biodiversity, sustainable utilization, contaminants, research Health includes: Circumpolar Inuit Health Plan, food security
Circumpolar Inuit Health Action Plan 2004 ICC General Assembly in Barrow Inuit health and wellness identified as a priority for ICC action ICC Canada to support the development of a Circumpolar Inuit Health Action Plan Steering committee comprising representatives nominated by each of the four country ICC offices ICC health paper developed to support the steering committee's work
Major Shared Health Concerns Mental health Suicide Substance abuse Diseases: Cancer Diabetes Heart disease Tuberculosis
Gaps between Inuit and national populations Life expectancy: often ~10 years lower for Inuit compared to overall population Cancer rates for colon/rectum 2-3 x higher in Inuit women in Alaska and Canada compared to overall population Suicide in Canada among ten leading causes of death Inuit suicide rate in Canada >11 fold higher 83% of people under 30 Suicide rate in Greenland one of the highest world-wide
Gaps between Inuit and national populations
Gaps between Inuit and national populations
Factors influencing Inuit health Loss of culture Lack of recognition Poverty Housing Addictions Food security Climate Change
Further Actions Steering committee had its first meeting in September in Copenhagen Currently working on paper for ICC’s consideration Planning Circumpolar Inuit Health meeting back to back with International Congress on Circumpolar Health (Yellowknife, July 2009)
Qujannamiik!