Sokkinakia’pi, a collaborative project between the Blood Tribe Department of Health and the University of Lethbridge to enhance health and well-being on the Kainai Nation is underway. (Photo: Blood Tribe Department of Health)

By Christian Oldale

Blood Tribe, University of Lethbridge collaborate on health care delivery project

Feb 6, 2024 | 3:15 PM

STANDOFF, AB – A collaboration between the Blood Tribe Department of Health (BTDH) and the University of Lethbridge (U of L) to enhance health and well-being on the Kainai Nation is underway.

In September 2022, BTDH and the U of L signed a memorandum of understanding to honour the health-related Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, partnering to expand health services capacity and delivery on the Blood Reserve.

Phase one of the project, which was named Sokkinakia’pi on February 6, 2024, has begun, and involves a community needs assessment.

The project aims to build upon the existing Kainai Health Services Plan to identify or reconfirm the health needs, tools and resources for the Blood Tribe for the next decade.

Derrick Fox, Chief Executive Officer of the BTDH said, “This partnership is a huge benefit for the Blood Tribe and will support the enhancement of health services for our people.”

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He added, “This is very exciting for our youth as this ensures our children will have every opportunity to gain education and training to continue our ancestors’ legacy of caring for ourselves in a respectful and dignified approach based on traditional ways of knowing and being.”

The project will be headed by Melissa Shouting (BHSc ’19) and Janetta Soup (BMgt ’07). Shouting is a registered member of the Kainai Nation and part of the University’s Faculty of Health Sciences. Soup is also a Kainai Nation member and the Quality Control Manager with the BDTH.

A statement from the U of L said that more partnerships will develop as the project moves through its various phases.

Sokkinaki is the verb meaning ‘to heal or doctor’, and a’pi means ‘all that has to do with’.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now.

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