A Nunavut suicide-prevention action plan launched in 2017, like one before it in 2011, has yet to result in the compilation of comprehensive data, not even the number of suicide attempts.
Health Minister George Hickes made that admission in the legislative assembly on June 6 while responding to questions from Arviat North-Whale Cove MLA John Main.
The GN has unsuccessfully sought a permanent mental health epidemiologist to devise a methodology for collecting data. There is someone filling the position currently, but only on a short-term contract, Hickes acknowledged. Since Hickes鈥� statement, the Department of Health has reported that a permanent mental health epidemiologist has been hired and is scheduled to arrive in August.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not where we want to be鈥� I鈥檒l fully admit and stress that,鈥� said the health minister. 鈥淭here have been some challenges with establishing this, but I can say that it is something that we鈥檙e very ardently working on.鈥�
Main said jurisdictions that collect data on suicide attempts have a much more detailed understanding of suicidal behaviour among their populations than do jurisdictions which only collect data on deaths by suicide.
Jack Hicks, an expert on suicide who was instrumental in formulating the Nunavut Suicide Prevention Strategy, concurred.
鈥淪uicide attempt data are important to understanding the full range of what鈥檚 happening,鈥� he stated to Nunavut News, adding that the figures could help define demographics at highest risk as well as associated costs on the health system, such as medevacs required specifically related to suicide attempts.
鈥�The suicide situation in Nunavut is so serious that we need all the information we can get 鈥� certainly including attempt data,鈥� said Hicks.
Nunavut鈥檚 suicide rate is often 10 times the Canadian rate on an annual basis.
Hicks cited the closing remarks of a GN lawyer from a 2015 coroner鈥檚 inquest indicating that the need to collect suicide attempts data is a 鈥渄oable recommendation鈥� that would 鈥減lay a vital role in saving lives.鈥�
Because attempts to take one鈥檚 own life could be documented in different ways, Hicks pointed to the approach adopted in Alaska where overnight stays in health facilities related to suicide attempts are counted.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no reason this couldn鈥檛 be done in Nunavut. There鈥檚 no reason it couldn鈥檛 have been done years ago,鈥� said Hicks.
He noted that he was working in a community last year where a dozen suicide attempts by teenagers occurred over a short span, and he was only aware because he was in town.
鈥�How often does that happen across the territory?鈥� he wondered. 鈥淭here being no database, the knowledge is only in the heads of managers in the department, who will eventually leave or retire. So we effectively have no idea, and that鈥檚 crazy.鈥�
Main twice asked the health minister when Nunavummiut can expect suicide data to be made public and when the first review of the Inuusivut Anninaqtuq Action Plan on suicide will be released, outlining progress on goals.
Hickes wouldn鈥檛 make a commitment.
鈥淚 do apologize sincerely. I don鈥檛 have a definite date for the member,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 hope that this fall I
will have a more firm response that I can provide.鈥�
Before the end of the spring sitting of the legislative assembly, Main submitted five written questions, formally asking how many annual progress reports have been produced on the Inuusivut Anninaqtuq Action Plan on suicide and the plan鈥檚 various stated outcomes. He also asked that the barriers and challenges to implementation be identified and whether existing human and financial resources are in place to fulfill the GN鈥檚 responsibilities on suicide prevention.
鈥淭he GN鈥檚 answers to Main鈥檚 written questions should tell us a great deal about what is 鈥� and isn鈥檛 鈥� happening, and what the barriers to full implementation are,鈥� stated Hicks. 鈥淪o good on him for asking them.鈥�
