New report finds Indigenous people face widespread racism at the point of care

The lead investigator into a report examining racism in B.C.’s health care system has provided the data from her report today.

Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond said the report found no organized “Price is Right” style game going on in hospitals. Lafond continues saying there is anecdotal and episodic information of activities that resemble this game but nothing as organized that was claimed before.

However, the report did find a much more widespread problem, there is direct racism and prejudice at the point of care. In the survey 84 per cent of Indigenous people that engaged with the survey experience racism. While only 16 per cent said they never faced any direct racism at the point of care.

A third of non-Indigenous people surveyed said they witnessed racism in health care against Indigenous people. Lafond summarizes the report by saying that racism limits access to medical treatment and negatively affects the health and wellness of Indigenous people.

Indigenous women were also found to be disproportionately affected by racism in health care. Lafond is calling on the Health Minister to create a new B.C. Indigenous Health Officer along with an associate deputy of Indigenous Health. These positions would help move forward the health care system.