Jens Napãtôĸ': - Learn from the failed agreement in Qaanaaq

In 2020, Avannaata Kommunia and Naalakkersuisut entered into an agreement on close cooperation between the hospital and the retirement home to improve service to the citizens of Qaanaaq. However, it turned out that the agreement became a great burden for both the staff at the retirement home and the elderly. Therefore, the municipal council of Avannaata Kommunia decided on March 27 to terminate the agreement.

Member of the Greenlandic Parliament for Health and Persons with Disabilities, Anna Wangenheim (Democratic Party), and Mayor of Qeqertalik Municipality, Simigaq Heilmann (Democratic Party), signed a cooperation agreement between Qeqertarsuaq Hospital and the retirement home on March 13. The agreement is to establish a cooperation similar to that in Qaanaaq.

However, 1st Deputy Mayor of Avannaata Municipality and member of Inatsisartut, Jens Napãtôĸ' (Naleraq), believes that one should learn from the experiences from Qaanaaq and reconsider the agreement in Qeqertarsuaq, as there are signs that similar arrangements may lead to deterioration in service to citizens.

Coming with a request

In addition to their normal work tasks, the employees at the retirement home have been given additional tasks to take care of sick citizens as a result of the agreement. Jens Napãtôĸ' therefore emphasizes that the termination of the agreement in Qaanaaq was done to protect the conditions of both the residents and the employees.

- The agreement in Qaanaaq has unfortunately failed, and we should learn from that. We know that there is already a shortage of staff at the retirement home in Qeqertarsuaq. If the employees are not to be overloaded, it is therefore not recommended to enter into a similar agreement, he says.

- I therefore call for the project with a cooperation agreement between the hospital and the retirement home in Qeqertarsuaq to be stopped.

It has not been possible to get a comment from the mayor of the Municipality of Qeqertalik, Simigaq Heilmann (Democratic), on the matter.

Better service

The purpose of the new cooperation agreement is to create a more stable arrangement and a better offer for the citizens of Qeqertarsuaq, says Anna Wangenheim.

- We must strengthen cooperation between different public institutions in smaller towns and move from limited cooperation to closer and better cooperation.

- By paying more attention to the professional skills of healthcare personnel and municipal employees, we can better coordinate services that benefit citizens and create good results, says the Minister of Health and People with Disabilities of Greenland.

On September 15 last year, changes were made to the operation of the hospital in Qeqertarsuaq. The changes meant that the hospital began closing at 4 p.m.

To be assessed

Based on the experience from Avannaata Municipality, it should be assessed whether a cooperation agreement should be concluded at all between the hospital and the retirement home in Qeqertarsuaq, says municipal council member Aqqa Jensen (Siumut), who lives in the city.

- There is a big difference between the work tasks at the hospital and the retirement home in Qeqertarsuaq, and there is already a shortage of employees at the retirement home.

- Therefore, the warning from Avannaata Municipality should be taken seriously, he says.

Aqqa Jensen also believes that more detailed knowledge should have been available about the failed arrangement in Qaanaaq before a similar agreement was concluded in the Municipality of Qeqertalik.