Native America Calling: Assessing current health threats to Indian Country

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Wednesday, February 19, 2025

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Assessing current health threats

The current flu season is the worst in 15 years in terms of doctor’s visits.

Tuberculosis cases are rising. On the horizon is a possible bird flu outbreak that is already affecting millions of livestock birds and it’s starting to make the jump to humans.

This is all happening with the backdrop of lapsed information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, confirmation of a federal health secretary who openly expressed skepticism about vaccines, and unprecedented cuts in the works for the Indian Health Service.

Join Native America Calling get a gauge of the current threats to the health of Native Americans.

A building at 5600 Fishers Lane in Rockville, Maryland, houses the headquarters of the Indian Health Service and other agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services. Photo: Antony-22

Guests on Native America Calling

Dean Seneca (Seneca), CEO and founder of Seneca Scientific Solutions+, a company based in New York

Katherine Minthorn (Umatilla), an owner of Rez Chicks Co-Op, a Native-owned and women-owned business in Oregon

Aino Dr. Alec Ekeroma (Samoan), director general of health of Samoa’s Health Ministry

Chanda Hesson, nurse consultant for the State of Alaska’s section of epidemiology and the lead nurse consultant for the Alaska Department of Health’s tuberculosis team

Dr. Robert Belknap, executive director of the Public Health Institute at Denver Health in Colorado