NIHB

According to Bhullar 2017, certain supplements are needed to restore Inuit back to health.
" Currently, the Nunavut�s Inuit population suffers from the severe deficiency of vitamins, minerals and dietary antioxidants including vitamins A, folic acid, C, D, E, riboflavin magnesium, fibre n-6 fatty acids, and calcium [6,7]."

"A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of micronutrients (vitamins A, B-complex, C, E, and selenium) in TB-HIV co-infected Tanzanian patients showed that these micronutrients decreased the risk of TB recurrence by 45% overall" [1] (Bhullar 2017)

Conclusion: The lack of nutrition among Inuit leads to primary and recurrent TB infections. This commentary recognizes malnutrition and compromised nutritional status as a cardinal feature of TB epidemiology and strongly advocates the initiation of a program targeting this risk of TB.

In Canada, some of these supplements are available free-of-charge for residents. Usually an insurance card is needed (such as NIHB) and a doctor, who will send in the paperwork, and supplements are picked up at the pharmacy. A simple process.

What if more Inuit were able to take advantage of this system?

NIHB Drug Benefit List PDF published Oct 9, 2018:

CALCIUM, VITAMIN D p. 113
MAGNESIUM p 114
SELENIUM SULFIDE p 147 -cream
VITAMIN A p 150
ZINC OXIDE p 150 - cream

p 155 - Vitamins - Section 88
VITAMIN A 10,000IU CAPSULE - st
-VITAMIN B12 -tablet/inject
FOLIC ACID
NIACIN
PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6 )
THIAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE ( VITAMIN B1 )
ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C)
VITAMIN D p 156
VITAMIN E p 157
VITAMIN K -emulsion
p 157 Multivitams, Prenancy, Postpartum
MULTIVITAMINS (PEDIATRIC) Limited use benefit (prior approval is not required). Pediatric multivitamins are benefits for children up to 11 years of age. ENFAMIL POLYVISOL MJO 450MG & 10MG & 30MG LIQUID ST JAMP VITAMIN A, D AND C JMP 2,500IU & 666.67IU & 50MG/ML LIQUID ST ENFAMIL TRIVISOL MJO PEDIAVIT EUR JUNIOR COMPLETE CENTRUM JUNIOR COMPLETE FLINTSTONES MULTIPLE VITAMINS PLUS IRON FLINTSTONES MULTIPLE VITAMINS WITH EXTRA C

MULTIVITAMINS (PRENATAL)
CENTRUM DHA
CENTRUM PRENATAL
NESTL� MATERNA
PRENATAL AND POSTPARTUM VITAMINS AND MINERALS
WAMPOLE COMPLETE MULT-PRE AND POST NATAL WITH FOLIC ACID

FOLIC ACID p 159
MULTIVITAMINS (PRENATAL)
MATERNA p 159
VITAMIN D p 159
VITAMIN E p 261
MULTIVITAMINS p 262, 263

ABIRATERONE ACETATE - p 286
ABIRATERONE ACETATE Limited use benefit (prior approval required). Initial coverage criteria (Initial approval for 12 months) For the treatment of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer patients (mCRPC) who are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic after failure of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and who have not received prior chemotherapy if they meet the following criteria: � Used in combination with prednisone; AND � Patient has an ECOG performance status of 0 or 1. For the treatment of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer patients (mCRPC) who progressed on docetaxelbased chemotherapy if they meet the following criteria: � Used in combination with prednisone; AND � Patient has an ECOG performance status ≤ 2; AND � Abiraterone is not used as an add-on therapy to enzalutamide (Xtandi); AND � Abiraterone has not been used in the pre-docetaxel setting. Renewal coverage criteria (Renewal for 12 months) There is no objective evidence of disease progression 250MG TABLET 02371065 ZYTIGA JSO 500MG TABLET 02457113 ZYTIGA JSO
More on Abiraterone Acetate

Nunavut Health Care Plan
Eligible:
Permanent residents of Nunavut. A �permanent resident� of Nunavut is a person who has Nunavut as their primary place of residence
People holding an employment or student visa valid for one year or more. The visa must have a Nunavut address

Doctor Services Not Covered:
Prescription drugs

Hospital Services Covered
Drugs prescribed by a physician and administered in the hospital

More links:
Vitamin E 800 IU added 2017

policy: NIHB, Palliative care formulary, chornic renal failure formulary

pharmacy- NIHB

ca dbl Non-Insured Health Benefits - Drug Benefit List Summer 2018 First Nations and Inuit Health Branch

homepage

New Treatments Initiated by Pharmacists To improve client access to benefits, NIHB has added new products and medications to the list of non-prescription (over-the-counter) benefits that can be prescribed or recommended by pharmacists: Acne medications Medications to treat eye or ear infections Vitamin D or multi-vitamins for children Treatments for fungal skin infections Diabetes devices Blood glucose test strips You can find a complete list of eligible products and medications that can be prescribed or recommended by pharmacists in the NIHB Pharmacy Benefit Guide.

Pharmacists lobbying
"In 2014, the federal Minister of Health and the Grand Chief of the Assembly of First Nations announced a full-scale review of the NIHB program. The purpose of this review, which is expected to last until 2017, is to conduct a thorough examination of NIHB operations and policies with the expectation of significant program reform. In spring 2015, the working group tasked with conducting this review (comprising representatives from AFN and the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of Health Canada) issued a Critical Path document identifying the major sectors and issues that the review will address; pharmacy has been identified as one of the key sectors slated for specific examination starting in December 2015."

Joint review:

In 2014, after significant efforts from the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and First Nations leadership, the Minister of Health agreed to a joint review of the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program conducted in partnership between the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) who administer the NIHB program. The Joint Review began in earnest in September of 2014 with a meeting of the Joint Review Steering Committee (JRSC) to guide the Joint Review process. This group is made up of equal representation of First Nations and FNIHB staff including two Deputy Ministers with the authority to make program changes. The group is collectively guided by an Elder.

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) have undertaken a Joint Review of the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) Program with the objective of:

Enhancing client access to benefits; Identifying and addressing gaps in benefits; Streamlining service delivery to be more responsive to client needs; and, Increasing Program efficiencies. As shown in the critical path, the Joint Review is expected to take 2 years ending in March 2017. Each benefit area will be examined separately and will result in an individual report; further, the Joint Review will result in a final report bringing together the complete findings and providing recommendations of the Steering Committee.

Due to the size of the program, the Joint Review will examine the program area benefit area by benefit area. The review of the Short Term Mental Health Crisis Intervention Counselling (STMHCIC) was the first benefit to be reviewed, the review of the Dental Benefit is currently underway.