Why Canada's health-care system needs more Indigenous professionals

Life expectancy of Indigenous people in B.C. dropped by more than six years between 2017 and 2021. For Indigenous healthcare experts, the numbers are a reminder that their community members aren't properly taken care of in the healthcare system.

Why Canada's health-care system needs more Indigenous professionals
B.C. Deputy Provincial Health Officer for Indigenous Health Dr. Daniele Behn Smith, from left to right, First Nations Health Authority Chief Medical Officer Dr. Cornelia Wieman and B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry stand during a song by a First Nations before a news conference, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, August 21, 2024.

Life expectancy of Indigenous people in B.C. dropped by more than six years between 2017 and 2021. For Indigenous healthcare experts, the numbers are a reminder that their community members aren't properly taken care of in the healthcare system.