In February 2026, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) hosted the first Alaska Tribal Public Health Summit, a large gathering of Tribal public health professionals, in Anchorage. The event became a strategic focus for the organization after the Alaska Native Epidemiology Center conducted Tribal Public Health System assessments from 2022 through 2024. These assessments indicated that there was significant interest in bringing together leaders from Tribal Health Organizations to work together on creative, collaborative solutions in a changing public health landscape.

The event was planned by ANTHC internal staff and expert advisory panel made up of Tribal and Tribal Organization leaders from across Alaska. The agenda included the following:

• An overview of Tribal public health authority and data sovereignty
• An interactive exercise mapping the existing Tribal public health programs in the state and opportunities for the future
• A review of resources available from state-wide entities to support Tribal organizations
• Brainstorming sessions focused on important public health topics
• An overview of laws, policies, and potential legislation affecting Tribal public health

In addition to the interactive content above, the meeting was opened by ANTHC President and CEO, Natasha Singh, and visited by US Senator Lisa Murkowski, who expressed their support and appreciation for the hard work of Tribal Public Health leaders in Alaska.

The planning team of Epidemiology Center staff is proud to share that the summit goal of bringing together Tribal leaders and staff from across the state to collaborate and find solutions was met. They look forward to sharing the results of the interactive content once it is summarized and next steps in continuing the conversation around Tribal public health.

If you have questions or comments for the planning team, please email tribalpublichealthsummit@anthc.org.

 

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The Navajo Epidemiology Center (NEC) has renewed its data-sharing agreement with the New Mexico Department of Health, strengthening access to updated vital records and improving the ability to monitor health trends within the New Mexico portion of the Navajo Nation.

 

Using newly available data from 2018-2024, NEC conducted an updated mortality analysis. Findings show that unintentional injuries, chronic liver disease, and COVID-19 are among the leading causes of death in the region.

 

This partnership supports more timely, accurate public health data and helps inform community-driven prevention efforts, resource allocation, and health planning to better serve Navajo communities.

View/Download the report to learn more and explore the full findings. (PDF 1 MB)

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