As of Oct. 1, the W.W. Hastings Indian Hospital, a 58-bed hospital in Tahlequah, Okla., is being operated by the Cherokee Nation, but the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians contends that the Indian Health Service violated federal law when it turned it over to the tribe, 5 News reported yesterday. The lawsuit requests an injunction to stop the Cherokee from having operational control of the facility.
Opened in 1984, the facility provides medical services, including specialized services, to more than 100,000 Native Americans in a 4,300-square-mile area. The Cherokee Nation would like to expand it to accommodate increased demand.
5 News reported that Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith said the lawsuit is an attempt by the Keetoowah to claim jurisdiction within Cherokee boundaries.
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