The Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services and Canadian Red Cross Sign Agreement to Strengthen Tuberculosis Response in Nunavik

The Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services (NRBHSS) has signed a two-year sole-source contract with the Canadian Red Cross (CRC) to help strengthen the regional response to tuberculosis (TB) in Nunavik. The agreement aims to reinforce operational capacity in support of ongoing efforts to prevent, detect, and treat TB, with the shared objective of contributing to its elimination.

The NRBHSS has contracted the Canadian Red Cross to support the delivery of TB services in Nunavik and support into the existing TB response in coordination with local teams and services. The integration of Canadian Red Cross support into the existing TB response will initially take place through IHC, considering the critical situation on the Hudson coast.

“This agreement represents an important step in reinforcing our collective capacity to respond to tuberculosis in Nunavik,” said Dr. Marie-Jo Ouimet, Public Health Director of the NRBHSS. “TB remains a complex public health challenge, and strengthening our response requires collaboration, adaptability, and sustained support for the teams working closest to communities.”

Under the agreement, the Canadian Red Cross will support intervention models that are already established in Nunavik. These models continue to evolve in response to the realities on the ground and the complex challenges associated with tuberculosis and are strengthened through the expertise of local teams and ongoing collective learning.

“In 2025, the tuberculosis situation in Nunavik has reached an unprecedented level, placing significant strain on our teams and on the health system as a whole,” said Jennifer Munick-Watkins, Executive Director of the NRBHSS. “Despite sustained efforts, the support required to adequately respond to this crisis has not been met at the provincial level. Faced with this reality, the NRBHSS had no choice but to seek additional support from external partners such as the Canadian Red Cross, to reinforce our capacity and continue supporting frontline teams and communities.”

“The Canadian Red Cross is proud to be partnering again with the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services in order to support a culturally-safe, community-driven health service response, this time to address the complex TB challenge”, said Pascal Mathieu, Vice-President, Quebec, for the Canadian Red Cross. “By listening to and collaborating with local leaders, together we can develop innovative solutions that integrate the Canadian Red Cross’ renowned humanitarian health services and logistics expertise into the current TB intervention models, alongside local teams and services, and in ways that strengthen their impact.’’

Planning is underway for the first presence of TB–CRC teams in Nunavik. The first phases of the project will focus on observing existing practices, fostering mutual learning, and testing collaboration mechanisms with local teams. It is not a full deployment and does not represent the implementation of the full scope of potential CRC support.

"In light of the increasing number of tuberculosis (TB) cases across Nunavik and our ongoing commitment to the health of the population, the Inuulitsivik Health Centre has taken action to support our communities in responding to TB. This response includes annual mass screening campaigns in each community along the Hudson Bay coast, which require significant resources. Through the signing of this contract, we believe the Canadian Red Cross will provide valuable support where it is needed most, while working closely with our local initiatives and teams,” states Sarah Beaulne, Executive Director of the Inuulitsivik Health Centre.

All partners emphasize that this collaborative and phased approach is intended to support frontline teams and strengthen the regional response to tuberculosis overtime, in alignment with the realities of Nunavik communities.

Photo: Yassen Tcholakov / RRSSSN

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