Nuxalk relieved to receive vaccine, after dramatic removal of doses from community

A month after Vancouver Coastal Health dramatically removeda vaccine shipment from the Nuxalk Nation in Bella Coola, COVID-19 vaccines are arrivingback to the Central Coastcommunity this week.

In January, the CBC obtained documents showing VCHmedical health officerDr. John Harding calledvaccine doses meant for the Nuxalk "a gift," before getting anRCMPescort out of the community, leaving with hundreds of doses planned for Nuxalk elders.

VCHhas since apologized for what they call a failure "to provide a culturally safe and respectful experience for Nuxalk Nation members while providing COVID-19 vaccine to vulnerable elders in their remote community."

The Ministry of Health has also apologized to the Nuxalk.

Now the vaccine promised to the Nuxalk has returned, onlythis time, it isthe First Nations Health Authority delivering it.

"There's a feeling of safety,"Nuxalkhealthdirector Kirsten Miltontold Early Edition host Stephen Quinn."It will bring a brighter future for the community," she added.

Nuxalk leaders sayracism played a role in the disappearance of their January vaccine shipment, and trust will have to be restoredas the new doses arrive.

The January incidenttook place as theB.C. governmentbegan its rollout of theModerna vaccine inremote Indigenous communities, which have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and often have poor access to health care.

"We need a lot more collaboration, a lot morecommunicationwhen it comes to serving our Indigenous communities," Milton said.

Health Authority says work to be done

Milton says 110 immunocompromised people and frontline health staff of the NuxalkNation willbe inoculated this week. The Nuxalkhealth team is running vaccine clinics on Wednesday and Thursday.

The community currently has about five active COVID-19 cases.

The CBC asked Vancouver Coastal Health for an interview relating to the incident inNuxalk territory, but has declined requests over several weeks.

In an email VCH stated that theFirst Nations Health Authority was originally intended to providethe vaccineto the Nuxalk community.

However there seemedto be confusion among the health authorities. Astatement issued by VCH said, "due to the proximity of the Nation to Bella Coola Hospital, Nuxalk Nation was categorized as a non-isolated First Nation community in the FNHA vaccination phasing."

VCH did not answer questions related to why the medical health officercalled the vaccine a "gift" and told the Nuxalk health team he was rescinding the vaccine because the nation did not create a plan on time. It also has not explained why VCH called the RCMPfor an escort out ofNuxalk territory.

But its statementdid say:"Vancouver Coastal Health has work to do to rebuild a respectful relationship with the Nuxalk Nation. Vancouver Coastal Health board of directors, leaders, staff and medical staff are strongly committed to that work."