Q+A | Nunavut's top doctor says early testing and awareness key to eliminating TB

Nunavut's health department has officially declared an end to years-long tuberculosis outbreaks in Pangnirtung and Pond Inlet and the territory's top doctor says that's thanks to diligent screening to catch the disease early, and awareness in the communities. 

Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Ekua Agyemang spoke with the CBC's Natsiq Kango about the success in the two communities and how people in Arviat and Naujaat can continue to manage ongoing TB outbreaks in those communities. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How are you feeling about declaring TB outbreaks over in Pangnirtung and Pond Inlet?

It's really exciting. I feel proud to have had the privilege to work alongside the leadership of Pond Inlet and Pangnirtung over the past two years to bring us to this point in time. The communities of Pond Inlet and Pangnirtung have worked really, really hard to come to this point where for about two years they have not had a new case of tuberculosis that is infectious in any of these communities.  

What do you think was effective in bringing down those cases?

It's about people understanding what this was about and overcoming the fear and stigma that we inherited from TB sanitoriums, and colonialism, and coming together to understand that if we found TB early, it could be treated in communities. 

And how has all this affected the staff?

Over the past four years for Pangnirtung and about two years for Pond Inlet, it's been a lot of hard work. We've had several nurses come in and out of communities to support screening. But much more importantly, what really worked in these communities were the community health representatives who lived in the community, who knew the people, who went on radio and spoke about TB and helped to break down the stigma, who built trust and relationships, who encouraged people who needed to take their medication. 

It is the hard work and diligence of these community members and the duty workers, people who help other people to take their medication as well as people who were doing those home visits and the leadership of the communities.

How many outbreaks are active in other communities?

We still have a TB outbreak in Arviat, and Naujaat, and we are working really hard. We are hopeful that sometime soon we can come to this point where we can be confident to close the outbreaks in those communities as well.

What should Nunavummiut continue to do, to eliminate TB in the territory?

Early identification and treatment. The symptoms of TB are coughing for more than two weeks, weight loss, loss of appetite. If we find TB early, we do not have to send anybody out like was done in the past. If people have sleeping TB, sometimes they will not have a cough, they will not have any sign or symptom, they will not feel sick.