YELLOWKNIFE (April 4, 2013) – A new report from the Department of Health and Social Services shows that a significant number of hospitalizations in the Northwest Territories between 2008/09 and 2010/11 were preventable. The NWT Hospitalization Report released today identifies why NWT residents were hospitalized and looks at the top five causes by age, focusing on hospitalizations associated with mental illness and chronic disease.

“One of this government’s goals is healthy, educated people and this report helps us understand what we can do to reduce the number of hospitalizations,” said Minister of Health and Social Services Tom Beaulieu. “Underlying factors like mental health issues, addictions, poor diet and lack of physical activity contribute to too many hospitalizations for our people. We need to continue to encourage people to lead healthier lives by eating well, not smoking, limiting their drinking and being more physically active. By making healthier choices, our residents will be less likely to get diabetes, heart disease and cancer.”

Evidence from the NWT Hospitalization Report shows that the Government of the NWT is on the right path. Building on Our Foundation 2011-2016, the strategic plan for the NWT health and social services system, and A Shared Path Towards Wellness - Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan 2012-2015 have outlined steps to address the factors that contribute to poor health for our residents. The department has also formed partnerships with communities, Aboriginal governments, non-government organizations, health care providers and other GNWT departments to identify community-specific solutions that address the root causes of poor health. One example of this is the Minister’s Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness.

Electronic copies of the NWT Hospitalization Report can be found on the Department of Health and Social Services website at www.hss.gov.nt.ca.

For more information:

Damien Healy
Manager, Planning and Communications
Department of Health and Social Services
Tel: (867) 920-8927
Email: damien_healy@gov.nt.ca