Silas Arngna’naaq, a Baker Lake man, says his family doesn’t trust Nunavut’s Health Department after two family members had to be medevaced to Winnipeg this year without a medical escort. His late wife Lucy spent six days alone after she was told her escort could not travel with her because there was not enough room on the medevac plane. (Photo courtesy of Silas Arngna’naaq)
Lucy Arngna’naaq was left alone in a Winnipeg hospital for six days, says her husband
A Baker Lake man says his family no longer trusts Nunavut’s Health Department after problems with the medevac flight system left two family members alone for several days in a Winnipeg hospital in separate incidents.
“Not being able to get on a medevac flight as an escort has become a problem,” Silas Arngna’naaq said in an interview Dec. 5.
Arngna’naaq described two separate incidents this year in which individual family members were unable to have medical escorts accompany them on their medevac flights south.
He said that on Aug. 23 — a Saturday— his now deceased wife Lucy Arngna’naaq was booked to be medevaced from Baker Lake to Winnipeg for hospital care.
But she was told there was no room on the medevac flight for her medical escort and that the escort would have to take a commercial flight instead. The next available flight wasn’t until three days later, on the following Tuesday.
But early Monday evening, they learned health authorities in Winnipeg had decided the family’s chosen medical escort would not be allowed to meet Lucy Arngna’naaq there and they would need to find a replacement escort.
Failing to do so, 68-year-old Silas Arngna’naaq — who has his own health issues — decided to make the trip himself.
With flights to Winnipeg fully booked until Thursday evening, he arrived in Winnipeg late that night and saw his wife for the first time Friday morning. By that time, she had been without a medical escort for six days.
Due to chronic health problems, Lucy Arngna’naaq had made that trip many times before. This was the first time, however, a medical escort wasn’t able to travel with her.
Silas Arngna’naaq’s brother, Kenneth Arngna’naaq, had a similar experience in September.
In that instance, Kenneth Arngna’naaq was able to get on the medevac plane. His medical escort wasn’t able, though, and needed three days to find a commercial flight, leaving Kenneth Arngna’naaq alone in Winnipeg for three days.
“This situation has caused a ripple in our relationships with the Health Department,” said Silas Arngna’naaq.
Nunatsiaq News requested an interview with department officials but was told neither Health Minister Janet Pitsiulaaq Brewster nor deputy minister Megan Hunt or anyone else working with Nunavut’s medevac program were available.
Health Department spokesperson Charmaine Deogracias said the department does not comment on individual cases.
“The standard practice remains for escorts to travel with the patient,” Deogracias said in an email Friday.
“However, in exceptional situations, such as when a patient is critically ill, multiple patients are on the same flight, or an escort is not immediately available, the escort may follow on a commercial flight.”
In what Deogracias called those “rare” circumstances, “every effort is made to maintain continuity of care and support for patients.”
“Medical travel staff and health care providers co-ordinate to ensure patients are accompanied through key steps of their travel and care, even when an escort is not present.”
She said medical boarding facilities do not have staff available to fill the role of a medical escort.
“Patients and families are encouraged to contact the Office of Patient Relations for any concerns, issues, or assistance they may require during medical travel,” Deogracias said.