Photo courtesy of saskatoonhealthregion.ca
Members of the Saskatoon Health Board will get an update this afternoon on an external review investigating complaints by Indigenous women who felt pressured to consent to tubal ligation after the birth of their child.
The independent review was launched in January, and was expected to be complete by the spring, but it has been extended in order to ensure every effort was made to reach out to Indigenous women who had their baby in Saskatoon and may have had similar experiences to the women who have already come forward.
The reviewers are also getting input from Indigenous leaders and health care providers as part of the process.
The final report is now expected in late July. The recommendations will be released publicly after they have been received.
In a statement from the health region, Communications Specialist Amanda Purcell writes, “We have stated that we will not be speaking publicly about the review while it is being completed, in order to respect the process of the review. In the meantime, we look forward to seeing the results and believe the reviewers’ knowledge and expertise will help develop a strong path forward.”
The region encourages any woman who has not yet come forward to contact the SHR’s First Nations and Métis Health Service in confidence by calling 306-655-0546 or 306-655-0176.