Bryan Newland, the president of the Bay Mills Indian Community, posted a social media thread about coronavirus testing in tribal communities. He said the Indian Health Service has failed to live up to promises about testing being readily available to tribal nations.

As of Thursday, March 19, 2020, the IHS had facilitated testing for more than 330 people. A large number of such tests — over 100 — were of patients from the Navajo Area, which services the Navajo Nation.

Positive cases have been reported in five of the 12 IHS service areas.

In each of the past 2 days, Indian Health Svc leadership in DC has held nationwide briefing for tribal leaders and said that coronavirus testing was “available at every IHS facility,” and that testing supplies were “readily available” to each tribe.

This was a lie.

/1

— Bryan Newland (@RealBNewland) March 20, 2020

Indian Health Svc also said that we could use our “readily available” test supplies to work with private labs to get results in our communities in “as little as one day.”

True in theory. False in practice.

/2

— Bryan Newland (@RealBNewland) March 20, 2020

These test kits and supplies are not “readily available” to tribes. The Indian Health Svc may have test kits at each of it’s own facilities, but not on a scale to make a difference.

Indian Health Svc staff on the ground know this isn’t true, and are doing their best.

/3

— Bryan Newland (@RealBNewland) March 20, 2020

Why does this matter?

If tribal leaders and tribal citizens believe that they have everything they need to test people in our communities, they will expect it. When it doesn’t happen – bc it can’t happen – blame will fall on tribes themselves.

/4

— Bryan Newland (@RealBNewland) March 20, 2020

Why does this matter?

If tribal leaders and tribal citizens believe that they have everything they need to test people in our communities, they will expect it. When it doesn’t happen – bc it can’t happen – blame will fall on tribes themselves.

/4

— Bryan Newland (@RealBNewland) March 20, 2020

It also shifts blame from Federal Govt failure to prepare, and failure to get test kits to vulnerable communities on to tribal governments that are desperately looking for help.

This is vile.

/6

— Bryan Newland (@RealBNewland) March 20, 2020

Without ability to test broadly in our community, people are forced to quarantine at home. Without jobs and money, people will put acute needs (food & shelter) ahead of long-term needs (slowing spread). Puts everyone at risk.

/7

— Bryan Newland (@RealBNewland) March 20, 2020

Instead of lying to us and putting blame on our shoulders, our Trustee – the United States – needs to work with us to get test kits to our communities on a scale that NBA franchises seem to enjoy. @indianz

/end

— Bryan Newland (@RealBNewland) March 20, 2020

P.S. This ain't about partisanship. There will be plenty of time for that later. I just want to keep our people safe. That job is made harder when Trustee spends time pissing on my head and tells me it's raining.

— Bryan Newland (@RealBNewland) March 20, 2020