A new study led by Dr. Faiz Ahmad Khan highlights the urgent need to rethink how tuberculosis (TB) care is delivered in Nunavik, where Inuit communities face rates of TB far higher than the rest of Canada.
Through interviews with community members and healthcare workers, researchers found that while Inuit strongly value health and want to eliminate TB, current care systems often create additional challenges. Patients frequently face travel away from their communities, long periods of isolation, language barriers, and limited access to culturally safe care. Gaps in communication also contribute to fear, stigma, and uncertainty around the disease.
Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, Inuit participants are calling for care that is community-driven, culturally grounded, and responsive to their needs. Their recommendations include increasing Inuit leadership in health services, expanding local access to care, improving communication, and reducing stigma through education and support.
This work underscores an important message: improving health outcomes requires not only medical solutions, but also listening to communities and designing care systems that truly serve them.
Read the Article
Inuit experiences of and expertise on the 21st-century tuberculosis epidemic in Nunavik, Quebec: a qualitative community-based participatory study. Geboe B, Sandy G, Tooktoo D, Tukalak S, Law S, White-Dupuis S, Nappaaluk Q, Aliqu N, Quananack E, Emudluk M Sr, Watt L, Mangiok P, Dunn-Suen A, Yaaka M, MacDonald NI, Khan FA. CMAJ. 2026 Apr 5;198(13):E474-E485.
Read a Commentary About the Publication
Promoting reconciliation through research. Orr PH. CMAJ. 2026 Apr 5;198(13):E508-E509.
Read More
Comment venir à bout de l’épidémie de tuberculose au Nunavik ? La Presse. par Katrine Desautels. 6 avril 2026.
Under-resourced tuberculosis care causes hardship: In new study, Nunavik Inuit call for person-centered approaches. Led by a majority Inuit and First Nations research team at The Institute and the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services, the study highlights the experiences and perspectives of Inuit communities affected by the current tuberculosis crisis. The Institute News. April 7, 2026.