09-15 Supporting increased resources to prevent and diagnose diabetes among Natives Includes

Published on November 10th, 2009

By ALEX DEMARBAN

Summary

• AFN supports innovates approaches to allow Native communities, tribes and the state to prevent, diagnose and treat diabetes while reducing burdens associated with the diseases for Alaska Natives living with or at-risk for diabetes.

• AFN calls on Congress, the Indian Health Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to increase dollars and resources for state-based diabetes control programs and tribal and community efforts to prevent and control diabetes.

• AFN calls on the state Legislature to supplement federal resources to prevent and control diabetes.

• The state and federal government should develop diabetes coordinator positions to meet the needs of the increasing numbers of Alaskans and Native Alaskans with the ailment.

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Full Text

RESOLUTION 09-15

A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF INCREASED RESOURCES TO PREVENT, DIAGNOSE, AND TREAT DIABETES IN THE ALASKA NATIVE COMMUNITY

WHEREAS: Diabetes is a serious, costly and increasingly common chronic disease that affects almost 24 million Americans, or 8% of Americans, with millions more are at risk for the disease. Diabetes contributes to almost 234,000 deaths a year and is the fifth leading cause of death by disease in the United States; and

WHEREAS: Diabetes causes preventable complications that can be life threatening. Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, leg and foot amputations, pregnancy complications, and death related to flu and pneumonia. The leading causes of death in people with diabetes are heart disease and stroke; and

WHEREAS: Minority populations, especially Alaska Natives, suffer from diabetes at rates much higher than the general population and have the higher rates of complications associated with the disease; and

WHEREAS: The latest available data suggests that diabetes within the Alaska Native community surged over 114% from 1990 to 2006, including increases of 140% amongst Aleuts and 165% amongst Eskimos; and

WHEREAS: Geographic regions of the Alaska Native community also saw staggering increases in the rate of diabetes during that same time frame, including increases of 208% in the Bristol Bay region and 233% in Norton Sound; and

WHEREAS: As many as 40 out of every 1000 Alaska Natives will live with diabetes and diabetes complications like blindness, kidney failure, amputations and heart disease during their lifetime; and

WHEREAS: Federal funding provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for state run diabetes control pro'grams decreased 4.3% in FY 2009 with a greater than 10% reduction in program funding for the Alaska program suggests the government focus is not upon the needs of people impacted by diabetes in Alaska; and

WHEREAS: Funding sources for Alaska based diabetes programs serving the Native American community must be reauthorized at the federal and state levels over the coming years and it is imperative that resources are available to meet the growing needs of Native Americans with diabetes; and

WHEREAS: The delegates to the 2009 Annual Convention of the Alaska Federation of Natives wish to express their appreciation to President Barack Obama, Congressman Don Young, Senator Lisa Murkowski and Senator Mark Begich for their efforts this past year in seeking to honor the contracts and compacts that the federal government has awarded to all Native American Tribes and tribal organizations; and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the delegates to the 2009 Annual Convention of the Alaska Federation of Natives Inc., that, AFN supports innovative approaches that allow Alaskan native communities, tribes and the state to implement efforts to prevent, diagnose and treat diabetes while reducing the burdens associated with the disease for Native Alaskans living with or at-risk for diabetes; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that AFN calls on the United States Congress, the Indian Health Service, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to increase dollars and resources available for state based diabetes control programs, tribe specific and community efforts to help prevent, diagnose and control the reach of the diabetes epidemic; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED AFN further urges the President, the United States Congress, and state elected officials to provide adequate federal and state funding and resources for existing and innovative programs to help implement additional programs aimed towards preventing, detecting and treating diabetes and its related health complications in tribal communities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that AFN calls on elected officials and other government officials to support and implement programs aimed at reaching Native Alaskan youth and young adults at risk or living with diabetes on how best to prevent, detect, treat and manage diabetes; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED AFN also calls upon state legislatures to supplement federal resources for relevant efforts to expand the reach and scope of said efforts to reach Native Alaskans and those providing healthcare services to the community with targeted program'S on how best to prevent or control diabetes; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that AFN calls upon federal government interests to develop a national diabetes coordinator position and state government interests to develop a state diabetes coordinator to help relevant government agencies develop plans to ensure the needs of the ever increasing numbers of Alaskans and Native Alaskans with and affected by diabetes are met. The positions would also serve to bridge communication gaps that exist between the Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention at the Indian Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control, the National Institutes on Health, the Alaska Department of Health and other related agencies at all levels much like the Office of National AIDS Policy in the federal government. Lastly, AFN believes those holding these positions should actively advocate for the needs of Alaskan Natives with diabetes; and others impacted by the disease while working to ensure resources are available to meet the pressing need posed by the diabetes epidemic; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the delegates to the 2009 Annual Convention of the Alaska Federation of Natives respectfully call upon President Obama and Congress to fully fund the federal government's contract support cost obligations under its contracts with the Alaska Native Tribes and tribal organizations as part of the FY 2011 Budget, and thereafter fully fund such contracts and compacts on the same basis as the United States fully fund any other government contracts.

SUBMITTED BY: AARON LEGGETT OF THE NATIVE VILLAGE OF EKLUTNA

COMMITTEE ACTION: DO PASS

CONVENTION ACTION: AMENDED AND PASSED