The elected council of Six Nations of the Grand River has added its voice to calls for a coroner’s inquest into the death of a 24-year-old St. Catharines, Ont., woman.
Heather Winterstein, who is Indigenous, died on Dec. 10 in the emergency room at St. Catharines General Hospital, which is operated by the Niagara Health System. She had come to the ER for the second time in two days complaining of back pain. A day earlier, she had been sent home with Tylenol after attending the ER with a similar complaint.
“Medical treatment must never be denied to anyone, but freely given to everyone from all walks of life, races, and cultures,” council said in its statement, noting that Winterstein has family ties to Six Nations.
“Anything less is sub-standard care. This is not the first time we have heard stories of Indigenous people being neglected and mistreated while seeking medical care and as a result, many Indigenous people harbor mistrust towards the health-care system. This is not acceptable. Persistent concerns about anti-Indigenous bias in the health-care system must be taken seriously and addressed, and comprehensive measures taken to prevent any further mistreatment and loss of life.”
Six Nations council said it “condemns the neglectful treatment of Heather Winterstein and fully supports the call for an investigation into the Niagara Health System and Niagara EMS and a coroner’s inquest. Furthermore, we call upon all levels of government to take meaningful action to address anti-Indigenous bias in our health-care system.”
Following Winterstein’s death, Niagara Health president and CEO Lynn Guerriero said that she was “deeply troubled to learn of concerns raised by family members and leaders within the local Indigenous community related to the death of a patient in our care.”
She noted an internal quality care review would take place.