Healthcare professionals rarely get the recognition they deserve.
On the North Island, that’s especially true. Staffing shortages and poor management have left many doctors scrambling to tie loose strings together to care for their patients.
Dr. Prean Armogam, a primary care provider for Port Mcneill, has been in a years-long feud with Island Health over these issues.
He’s gotten the opposite of positive recognition from them.
“It was because I stood up for myself about issues regarding privilege and race, and I was labelled a troublemaker … The moment you point out deficiencies you get labelled as disruptive or not following the rules, but at the same time, there’s been a complete lack of accountability from [Island Health],” Dr. Armogam told BlackPress Media.
But through it all, the community has always had his back.
He’s been practicing on the North Island for 17 years and has been there to treat and serve multiple generations.
His patients show up in the hundreds to support him at protests and community health meetings.
They’re dedicated to supporting their doctor because he’s helped them. This was highlighted this past week when he was given a token of appreciation.
The Wuikinuxv First Nation released a statement saying they wanted to honour Armogram for his dedication to the remote community of Rivers Inlet.
“[He has] remained the light to this community in his tireless caring for our people in exceptionally challenging times of physician shortages and our community falling through the cracks in an imperfect system because of our remote location.”
Representatives from the Nation went to his office and presented him with an ornate sun mask pictured in the feature image.
“The mask presented to him is a symbol of our appreciation and gratitude for being the person he is in seeing us through the dark times,” said the Nation.
“We thank him for his caring and humility and are proud to call him our doctor and hope to do so for many years to come.”
