Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Can the Minister explain how the department liaises with national NGOs or organizations such as the Canadian Liver Foundation to ensure that Northerners can maximize the supports and services they offer but also so that we can contribute to ongoing research? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Health and Social Services has relationships with a number of national organizations, such as Canadian Blood Services and the Mental Health Commission of Canada. However, we don't have a relationship with the Canadian Liver Foundation. I have asked the department to determine if there are areas where the health system can work more proactively with that organization. Thank you.
I'm glad to hear the Minister say that she would have her department reach out to the Canadian Liver Foundation, given our propensity maybe for a little bit of liking the drink in the North. That would probably be a good thing. Annually, there is an 80 percent shortfall in funding to research liver issues when compared to the number of grant applications that are received. Could you imagine if any one of these applications actually contained the cure for liver disease or an early diagnosis tool? Does the GNWT participate in any sort of research in this area, and subsequently, do we provide any funding to do this type of research?
The Department of Health and Social Services does not conduct research in this area. If somebody who is a researcher comes to us and asks to partner with us, then we certainly would look at that proposal. We would consider offering things like in-kind services, letters of support, contributions of data, staff time, and so on. We are not the initiator of the research, but we are willing participants where we can be.
I'm glad to hear. I do know that the GNWT is a very research-open type of government as evidenced by our Aurora Research Institute. A lot of the health issues that involve the liver can be prevented by a healthy-living lifestyle and a reduction in alcohol consumption. What does the department of health do to provide early education and raise awareness around liver health specifically, given the high incidence of alcoholism in the North?
I am delighted to say, because I raised this when I was a Regular MLA, that the department is now exploring the potential for implementing screening, brief intervention, and referral for alcohol use at the clinical level. What happens here is that the patient, in the course of an ordinary appointment with a healthcare provider, would be screened according to Canada's low-risk drinking guidelines, and the healthcare provider could offer a range of supports, from counselling to a referral to an alcohol treatment centre. We are interested in exploring whether we can use that. Of course, even without this screening tool in place, people who are concerned that they are over-consuming alcohol can seek help from the community counselling program, they can access eMentalHealth supports, and of course, they can access supports through their healthcare provider if they feel like they need a detox or treatment.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's great, around alcoholism or alcohol education. I guess, too, I would like to see the department looking at a more holistic conversation around liver health, which does include things like healthy eating, exercise, and such. As I mentioned in my statement, many people have liver disease who have nothing to do with alcohol. I guess my next question would be: can we commit to launching a healthy liver campaign in the North specific to the liver, not just focused on alcoholism, but on a healthier lifestyle and prevention? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I can't make that commitment at this point. I can say that, of course, we are interested in helping people to have the best liver health that they can have, and our current efforts are really all focused around the alcohol strategy. I know the Member is talking about liver disease that is not alcohol-related, but we are dealing now with the issues that are alcohol-related because we see them as such big drivers of poor health in our territory. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
