Message from the President of Nisga’a Nation:

Nisga’a Lisims Government is committed to ensuring we improve the quality of life of our Nisga’a citizens, and the effective delivery of health care services is integral to that vision.

Under the Nisga’a Programs and Services Delivery Act, in any agreement with a health services provider, the Executive of NLG must include provisions that ensure the development and implementation of a comprehensive, well-integrated, open, accountable, and financially responsible approach to the delivery of health programs or services to Nisga’a citizens, and to non-Nisga’a citizens residing on Nisga’a Lands.

To meet those and other requirements, the Nisga’a Valley Health Authority has developed the Nisga’a Nation Health Plan 2015-2020 titled “A Shared Path to Improved Health”.

The Nisga’a Valley Health Authority has produced this plan with one key purpose: to improve health outcomes for the Nisga’a Nation. To achieve this outcome, the Health Authority has committed to carrying out 7 key goals

• Strengthen the Primary Care service delivery model.
• Re-commission hospital infrastructure and services.
• Invest in and build local capacity.
• Build a network of regional and remote specialists.
• Design and implement population health programs.
• Expand to become a regional referral hospital, to be able to respond to any regional expansion.
• Communicate effectively with key stakeholders.

In reviewing this plan, one of the Council of Elders Sim’oogit Hleek reflected on the changes to the delivery of health services during his lifetime.  In the 1950’s, health delivery in the Nass Valley was limited to ‘dispensing bandages’; in 2013, the James Samuel Gosnell Memorial Centre was designated as a Hospital.   The Health Authority has much greater responsibilities today, and its Board of Directors, who are accountable for performance under this plan, have significant obligations as well.

As President, I along with my elected colleagues remain committed to the vision of improved health services for our people, and we intend to ensure the Health Authority lives up to this plan.

So I urge all Nisga’a citizens to review this plan, reflect on it, and use it as a tool to measure the progress of the activities of the NVHA, and ensure the NVHA remains accountable to you and your families.

H. Mitchell Stevens

President