Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We’re using pilot projects as exactly what they are, pilots. They will end, those projects. The information gathered from those programs, those specific programs would probably continue, but not as pilots. They would continue as the regular course of business that we do in the chronic disease management.
As a result of those projects, we’re going to be able to expand into other programs we’re seeing that we need to address the chronic disease issues. We know that initially when we forge into this work, we do the same thing too. We look at the stats. That’s what we use as a starting point. We know that diabetes is growing at 200 persons per year in the Northwest Territories. We know that diabetes is higher among Aboriginal people than it is among non-Aboriginal people. What we are doing is dealing with, really to address the diabetes issues, we’re saying exercise and eating healthy.
Then we talk about people that, when we talk about cancer, we’re talking about not smoking. We’re trying to get out there and work on prevention programs and smoking cessation programs. Also drinking. Heavy drinking seems to have a very negative impact on a person’s health. So we’re trying to address that issue, too, so we’re talking about that and that’s why we’re doing our addictions work and so on.
We are looking at the stats and trying to put programs into effect and dealing with the authorities, through the authorities, through social services, through the health authorities and so on, health and social services authorities, trying to address these issues, as well, by looking at the stats.
I don’t know if the trend has been where diabetes is growing by 200 persons per year in the Northwest Territories if we’re able to get people starting at the schools, trying to start at the schools, we thought that would be a good point to start healthy living, healthy eating and exercising. We’re able to curb the new diabetes in the Northwest Territories, if we can turn the curve down that would be something we want to achieve. Same with cancer. Cancer rates are very high. The various different types of cancer rates are very high, so we’re trying to address those issues by developing a cancer strategy, by piloting that through two communities in the Northwest Territories.