Syphilis cases up over 600 per cent in Sask. First Nations communities, says public health doc
Indigenous Services Canada’s top public health physician in Saskatchewan is sounding the alarm over growing rates of syphilis in First Nations communities in the province.
Dr. Ibrahim Khan says the statistics from 2022 broke all previous records.
“There were 850 infectious syphilis cases reported,” said Khan. “Which, in epidemiological terms, is a 639 per cent increase in the number of infectious cases. We also had, unfortunately, 13 early congenital syphilis cases, and one congenital syphilis case is an alarm for any health system.”
Indigenous Services Canada declared an outbreak in 2019 across all Indigenous communities in Saskatchewan due to disproportionately higher rates compared to the provincial rate.
Khan says the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic made the issue worse due to the lack of testing, treatment, and prescriptions available.
“There were constant restrictions,” Khan told CTV News. “People were in isolation, you couldn’t see your doctor, you couldn’t get a prescription.”
But he says the majority of the 81 First Nations in the province are leading awareness, testing and treatment campaigns this summer, in partnership with other health organizations.
“Restrictions are gone, the mandates are gone, and there’s a little bit of freedom for the healthcare staff on the ground to do more testing, more awareness, and particularly targeting the youth in schools, all segments of the population.”
Another goal of the campaign is to ensure pregnant women can be screened for high-risk infections that could affect their baby, says Khan.
“Linking people to care, most of our Indigenous clients don’t have a family doctor,” he said. “And many of these pregnant women may not see a doctor. And if you don’t see a doctor, of course you’re not screened for all these high risk infections that jeopardize the health of the baby and mom after delivery. So that is a key priority for this summer.”
The Saskatchewan Prevention Institute says syphilis, if treated early, is curable.
But it can lead to serious harm in babies, including to their eyes, ears, teeth and bones.
Dr. Khan says the goal is zero cases, and it’s within reach.
“We have successful examples across Saskatchewan that were internationally recognized, so yes, we have championed communities that have achieved zero in the past couple of years,” said Khan.
“That is the hope.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.