Two UNBC researchers are spearheading a five-year project focused on enhancing Indigenous healthcare in Northern B.C.
Dr. Sarah de Leeuw and Dr. Margo Greenwood received $1.3 million in grant money for what will be the first federal research partnership of its kind at UNBC.
Over its five years, the project will focus on changing health service delivery in the north to create a more “culturally humble” healthcare system that embraces both Indigenous knowledge and people.
It also aims to inspire new generations of Indigenous youth to enter the healthcare field.
Key partners on the initiative include many Indigenous and non-Indigenous stakeholders across the North, Northern Health, Two Rivers Gallery in Prince George, and the National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health (NCCAH).
Northern Health says access to culturally safe care is critical to its commitment to improved services and fostering collaborative relationships with Indigenous communities.
The $1.3 million comes from a Healthy and Productive Work Initiative – Partnership Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).