Schools, gymnasiums and higher educations
There are a total of 13 primary schools in the Kommune Qeqertalik including the handicap school in Aasiaat (Ado Lyngep Atuarfia). Schools in the 4 towns have 1st to 10th grade, while the smaller schools in the settlements range from 1st to 7th grade. The principal challenges of the elementary schools, particularly in the settlement schools, are a low number of pupils and an urgent need for rehabilitation.
The Villads Villadsenip efterskolia continuation school is situated in Qasigiannguit and has up to 80 pupils. The continuation school has three main subjects: Adventure/outdoor, Design/art and Communications/IT. The school has achieved great results in advancing their pupils through the educational system: Following the continuation school, more than 70 per cent of the pupils choose to take a higher education.
North Greenland Gymnasium or GUX Aasiaat is Greenland's northernmost gymnasium and thus also one of the world's northernmost secondary schools. The school is located in Aasiaat, but the students come from all over Northgreenland and the hinterland stretches 1150 kilometers, from Kangaatsiaq in the south to Qaanaaq in the north, and therefore almost all the approximately 400 students live at one of the school colleges around the city. Annually, approx. 90 students from all North Greenland graduate from the school.
Each of the 4 towns has a local so-called Piareersarfik, which offers a one-year preparation programme to upgrade skills or prepare students for a trade or a higher education.
The town plan will ensure the required areas for, e.g., extension and improvement of the facilities of the municipal schools and educational institutions. While the 4 towns of Kommune Qeqertalik will continue to be consolidated as centres for education, the future planning period will primarily focus on rehabilitation and small-scale extensions of the existing schools and educational institutions. It is estimated that the relevant subareas of the town plan have the required capacity.
Health care
Kommune Qeqertalik belongs to the Health Region 'Disko', established by implementing the Health Reform in January 2011. Each region has a regional hospital, which has the overall responsibility for the health services in the region, also including the affiliated hospitals, health-care centres and the smaller nursing stations. The two regional hospitals of the municipality are located in Aasiaat and Ilulissat, respectively, while the other six towns have health-care centres or hospitals, as shown on the main structure map.
The health region also includes dental care, which is covered with one or more dentists. However, in Kangaatsiaq only has dentistry services part of the year.
With the health-care reform of 2011, telemedicine was introduced to the citizens of more remotely located settlements. Experience with the use of telemedicine varies, but with the employment of a telemedicine consultant in 2013 it was decided to continue and further develop the health-care offer to correctly diagnose illnesses and start treatment more quickly and easily.
The future health-care work builds on the current regional structure, with health-care services being present and accessible throughout the country, and the digitising in progress continuing. A particular focus will be on preventive measures and health promotion in light of the future higher expenses due to more senior citizens, more lifestyle diseases, more costly and specialised treatments as well as higher demands for quality and citizen contact – all to the benefit of the citizens of Kommune Qeqertalik.
