Local public health leaders from NWHU discuss regional needs with Province at AMO Conference

Tim Brody - Editor

Local public health leaders from Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) recently attended the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) annual conference, which ran from Aug. 18 – 21 in Ottawa.
NWHU representatives met with two Provincial Ministers to “highlight the unique needs and disparities of the region.”
“We had great discussions with Hon. Sylvia Jones, Minister of Health, about NWHU’s immunization model and how it helps to support local health care. We also discussed the results of our merger assessment, and reviewed pieces of the final report with them. Our materials included that our region has different needs than other areas in the province and highlighted the vast geography of the north,” said Marilyn Herbacz, Chief Executive Officer at NWHU.
NWHU officials also met with the Minister of Finance, Hon. Peter Bethlenfalvy. “Our meeting with the Minister of Finance focused on the negative impacts of alcohol in the NWHU region, particularly the statistics related to youth. We discussed the added vulnerability of children and youth and how we can work together to better protect them from alcohol related harms such as motor vehicle accidents, injury, and dependency,” stated Dr. Kit Young Hoon, Medical Officer of Health at NWHU.
NWHU shared that, “Overall, attendees from the NWHU felt the conference was a valuable opportunity to connect with others and bring issues faced in northwestern Ontario to the forefront. They are hopeful that the discussions will lead to improved health for our region’s residents.”