Justice for baby Makibi Akesuk and the courageous nurses who tried to save him.

  • by: Gwen Slade
  • recipient: Health Minister, Nunavut - Honourable Paul Okalik

April 5, 2012 little 3 month old Makibi was found dead by his mother. Approximately 7 hours earlier Makibi's mom had called the health clinic seeking help and spoke to Debbie McKeown, RN. McKeown refused to see the infant. Autopsy revealed Makibi died from a treatable viral lung infection. This how & why this baby died.  McKeown was finally found guilty of worse practice conduct. But not before:  

1. Peter Ma failed to live up to the expectations of the responsibilities that dictate his job as Deputy Minister of Health , Government of Nunavut.
Mr. Ma failed to act on the red flags of reported incompetent behaviour of Debbie McKeown.  Mr. Ma assisted & participated in GN's condoning, protection & cover-up of reported incompetent unsafe nursing practice by Debbie McKeown & other nurses.  Mr. Ma bears responsiblity for the health care for all Nunavummiuts.  Mr Ma failed in this role.  Debra McKeown RN was reported to both the GN & the Registered Nurses Association of NWT/NU (RNANT/NU) for numerous infractions of nursing standards & ethics.  She was found guilty & her license suspended.  McKeown continues as a GN employee on unpaid leave.

2. Roy Inglangasuk, Regional Director of Health, Baffin Region failed to fullfil his responsibility to all Nunavummiuts when he actively participated in the protection & cover-up of grossly incompetent nursing behaviour.  Mr. Inglangasuk left all Nunavummiuts exposed, at risk & in harms way by contributing to vexatious lies about nurses who tried to warn the GN of incompetent lethal nursing practices.   Mr.Inglangasuk bears responsiblity for countless stories of unnecessary pain & suffering by protecting, condoning & covering-up the immoral acts of an incompetent nurse, Debbie McKeown & others at the Cape Dorset Health Centre.

3. Heather Hackney RN, Director of Health Programs, Baffin Region failed to implement her responsibilities as director of nursing, but also breached the standards & code of ethics that determine her license when she failed to report the gross acts of worse practice conduct of Debra McKeown & other nurses to the RNANT/NU. Access to ATIPP revealed emails & documents proving Ms Hackney actively conspired with other GN senior management to cover-up & condone worse practice conduct while severly punishing those who reported this conduct to her office.  Ms Hackney knowingly & with callous disregard put all those in the Baffin Region at great risk & peril.  Ms. Hackney was demoted but continues to be employed by the GN.

Lennie Sapach RN, Supervisor of Health Programs in Cape Dorset actively participated in the assault against nurses reporting McKeown.  Emails obtained through ATIPP reveal Ms Sapach's active participation in the protection & cover-up of Debbie McKeown's gross worse practice conduct.  It is demanded of all nurses to report worse practice conduct to the RNANT/NU.  Ms Sapach failed to fullfil the standards & ethics by which she is licensed to practice nursing in Nunavut.  

Demand, through this petition, the Minister of Health activates the promised independent investigation into the GN's handling of a grossly incompetent nurse and the preventable death of 3 month old Makibi Akesuk.  If this investigation does not happen this conduct will continue and there will be even more preventable deaths.

Update #59 years ago
DARE to CARE.......... for your Nunavut, your community, your health care
READ this petition. SIGN this petition. SHARE this petition.
Again & again & again. Until we reach at least 1000 Nunavummiut who will DARE to CARE !
Update #49 years ago
Debbie McKeown has petition the courts to squash both the interim conditions on her license in 2012 & the suspension of her license 2014 on a perceived technical loop hole. No one would deny her rights, regardless she & the GN did just that to so many. The independent investigation must be completed. If the GN is confident they have done nothing wrong, then they have nothing to fear from an independent investigation....PLEASE READ, SIGN & SHARE
Update #39 years ago
We are fast approaching 400 signatures. People every where are signing. The support for this cause is so heart warming. People do care. Keep the momentum going we are almost at the half way point of 500 signatures.
Update #29 years ago
Thank you so very very much to all who signed our petition. Our goal is 1000 signatures. Please forward this petition to all your friends and family and please encourage them to sign & forward to all their friends & family.

Google our web page "Death and Denial in Cape Dorset" for more details of this incredibly horrific story. Mind boggling! Hollywood couldn't write this script....no one would believe it to be fact!

Thank you so much for your support. Gwen Slade (RN)
Update #19 years ago
Thank you for signing the petition.

Please forward the petition to friends & family....we need 1000 signatures to approach the Minister of Health for a full investigation.
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