Indigenous Services Canada plans to remove all remaining nurses and paramedics from Kashechewan First Nation by Monday. The evacuation of medical staff is subject to flight availability. Once the nurses depart, individuals requiring medical assistance will need to travel to Fort Albany First Nation.
The journey from Kashechewan to Fort Albany takes approximately 45 minutes under normal conditions, involving a winter road crossing over the frozen Albany River. Kashechewan Chief Hosea Wesley disclosed that there are currently four paramedics and four nurses stationed in the community.
Discussions are ongoing between Chief Wesley and the federal government regarding the potential creation of a shortcut to the ice road, reducing travel time to Fort Albany to about 20 minutes. Most of Kashechewan’s 2,300 residents have evacuated since a state of emergency was declared on Jan. 4, relocating to various places in Ontario such as Kapuskasing, Cochrane, Timmins, Kingston, and Niagara Falls.
Chief Wesley expressed concerns about the mental health challenges faced by evacuees, particularly children. Keisha Paulmartin, a 15-year-old evacuee residing in a Niagara Falls hotel with her family, highlighted the emotional difficulty of leaving pets behind and missing the connection to their homeland.
Around 300 people, including children, remain in the community, with plans in place to evacuate all non-essential personnel. The community continues to be in a state of emergency due to persistent issues with the water treatment plant, exacerbated by failures in the system and subsequent sewage backups.
Recent water sample tests revealed the presence of cryptosporidium, a parasite that has affected over 63 individuals in Kashechewan. Binyam Desta, an infectious disease epidemiologist, explained that the parasite spreads through contaminated sources and can cause symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, and fever.
Tragically, three individuals, including two elders and a youth, have passed away since the evacuations began. Chief Wesley mentioned that funeral preparations are being made for these individuals, although it remains uncertain if the deaths are linked to water supply contamination.
Kashechewan faces the annual risk of flooding during the spring thaw due to its location in a floodplain. Calls for community relocation to higher ground have been ongoing since 2005, with commitments made in 2019 for such a move. However, Chief Wesley emphasized the need for tangible action, expressing frustration with prolonged studies and the lack of solid commitments to support infrastructure improvements until the community is relocated.