Bridging the Gap: Blood Product Delivery in Remote Indigenous Communities of Canada
By Boaz Laor
Spotlight Awards: Second Place
This article was awarded second place in the inaugural Perspectives on Global Health Spotlight Awards in the category of Indigenous Health
View from Mistissini Community Miyupimaatisiin Center ᒥᔅᑎᓯᓃ ᒥᔫᐱᒫᑎᓰᐅᑲᒥᒄ, January 2025
In January 2025, I had the opportunity to spend a month as a medical student in Mistissini, a remote Indigenous community in Northern Quebec. This experience was life changing, offering me a glimpse into the culture and way of life of a thriving Cree village. However, this experience also offered me a firsthand look into the challenges of delivering healthcare in rural settings. As my rotation progressed, I learnt that there is no access to blood products at the local clinic due to prohibitively high costs. The nearest blood bank is in Chibougamau, about an hour away. In cases of severe trauma or hemorrhage, such as an ATV, Skidoo or car crash, quick access to blood products can be the difference between life and death. Unfortunately, in Mistissini and other northern communities, patients must first be transferred to larger hospitals to get blood products, often leading to devastating consequences.
Despite Canada being a resource-rich country and member of the Group of Ten (G10), this challenge is not unique to Mistissini. Across Canada, Indigenous and remote communities often lack critical medical supplies due to geographic isolation, logistical constraints and unpredictable weather (Government of Canada). These challenges have profound impacts: delayed treatment, devastating outcomes and reliance on costly and time-consuming medical evacuations.
In contrast, countries like Rwanda and Ghana, with fewer resources than Canada, have pioneered drone-based medical deliveries to combat this problem. In fact, between 2015 and 2019, 12 733 blood products were drone-delivered to remote communities in Rwanda, with an average delivery time of 79 minutes faster than road transportation (Nisingizwe, 2022). Similarly, Ghana has delivered 16 000 units of blood to its rural regions using similar technologies (AABB). These programs, led by companies such as Zipline, have drastically changed the landscape of rural medicine in Rwanda and Ghana, with other countries adopting comparable methods. Could a similar approach be implemented in Canada’s North?
A drone-based blood delivery system could offer Indigenous communities cost-effective, rapid and reliable access to blood products in Canada. These drones could be stationed at regional hubs and dispatched within minutes to local communities, bypassing delays associated with traditional transportation methods such as MedEvac. Currently, Quebec only has four medical planes to cover the entirety of the provinces’ emergent rural medical calls (CBC), further delaying access to critical care. Additionally, this model aligns with Canada’s commitment to Indigenous health equity and self-determination (Government of Canada), empowering communities with greater autonomy.
The challenges of northern Indigenous communities in Canada are different from those in Africa, such as weather conditions and regulatory hurdles. During winter, blizzards can ground planes for days, preventing medical evacuations and deliveries. Similarly, drones would also face considerable challenges in extreme weather conditions. However, Canada has the expertise, technology and resources to turn this vision, or similar ones, into reality. It is our duty and responsibility as a country to ensure adequate access to medical supplies for these communities. Addressing healthcare disparities in remote locations requires innovative solutions. Learning from global successes and applying them to the unique Canadian context will create meaningful change and ultimately be the difference between life and death for individuals in remote areas of Canada.
Boaz Laor
is a third-year medical student at McGill University interested in global surgery and healthcare sustainability. His research explores healthcare gaps and ways to improve access, particularly within the Canadian healthcare system.