The Communicable Disease Control Nurse offers support to the NITHA partnership by timely reporting of Communicable Diseases in Northern First Nations. The reporting and notification of these diseases is mandated by provincial legislation and part of the Transfer Agreement. The Public Health Act of 1994 as well as the Communicable Disease Control Regulations that accompany the Act govern reporting and follow up of these Communicable Diseases. Laboratory results are received from the Provincial Lab and entered in IPHIS an electronic provincial data base. This process allows for reports to be produced electronically and timely.

Direct support to frontline health workers is an essential component of the CDC nurse’s responsibilities. In the day to day operations of busy health facilities, the importance of timely communicable disease control is sometimes overshadowed by other activities that require more urgent actions. The role is to respond to inquiries from field staff whenever requested, offers possible interventions when concerns are identified and be the resource for health workers responsible for the communicable disease program in their communities.