Hastings and Prince Edward Counties/ Feb. 1, 2022
Today, the Hastings Prince Edward Board of Health (BOH) held its first meeting of 2022. The meeting was conducted by teleconference as part of Hastings Prince Edward Public Health’s (HPEPH) COVID-19 safety measures.
Statement from Board Chair
The Board of Health has unanimously appointed Dr. Ethan Toumishey as Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer for Hastings Prince Edward Public Health. Board Chair Jo-Anne Albert made the following statement regarding the selection of Dr.Toumishey:
“Dr. Toumishey’s medical expertise and leadership have been invaluable during his tenure as Acting Medical Officer of Health over the past several months, and we are very pleased that he will continue to lead the team at HPEPH as Medical Officer of Health and CEO.”
Read the full statement here.
Board Chair thanks Director Eric Serwotka for his dedicated service
Board Chair Jo-Anne Albert congratulated Eric Serwotka, Director of Public Health Programs, on his upcoming retirement after a 34-year career in public health. She noted that his expertise and guidance will be difficult to replace and thanked him for his leadership and commitment to his work and the community. Eric has been at HPEPH for the past 16 years.
Eric reflected on the wonderful advancements made and challenges faced in public health during his long career, including the eradication of measles, the advent of smoke-free environments, the SARS epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I want to thank the Board and past Boards for their strong support and advocacy for public health. It has been a privilege to serve the community with so many dedicated people, especially my colleagues at HPEPH.”
MOH thanks community for efforts to slow spread of Omicron, encourages continued vigilance
Dr. Toumishey noted that while we are beginning to see a decline in cases of COVID-19 among high-risk health care workers, as well as hospitalizations, the pandemic is not over. He thanked the community for continuing to follow public health measures and encouraged anyone who is not fully vaccinated or has not received a booster, to do so as soon as possible.
Walk-in appointments for COVID-19 vaccines are now available. Clinics are also being offered in certain schools for children, families and education staff. Visit our Booking and Eligibility webpage for dates and times, or visit covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations to find pharmacies offering the vaccine.
Board approves land acknowledgement
The Board unanimously approved a revised land acknowledgement as presented by Veronica Montgomery, Manager of Foundational Standards and Communications.
In December 2021 when the land acknowledgement was first presented to the board, it was referred back to staff following concerns about the inclusion of the terms “uninvited guests” and “unceded territory”.
With the support of Indigenous stakeholders, HPEPH has revised the statement by removing the phrase “uninvited guests”. The term “unceded” remains in the acknowledgement.
HPEPH continues to reinforce the importance of emphasizing that settlers’ arrival resulted in inequities, including health inequities, which continue to this day. Public health has a role to play in addressing these inequities, in alignment with the Ontario Public Health Standards.
HPEPH land acknowledgement
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health is situated and provides services on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Huron-Wendat and Haudenosaunee people. The land that we preside on today lies on unceded Indigenous territory. Our catchment area is adjacent to the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory to our east, and the Kijicho Manito Madaouskarini Algonquin First Nation to our north. We recognize that when settlers came to this land they created a legacy of inequities that are ongoing. We are committed to reducing these inequities, and through our work strive to improve health equity. We recognize the importance of the land and environment in establishing and sustaining optimal health, and we vow to respect this land as we undertake our work. Our organization pledges to build relationships with Indigenous friends and neighbours and recognizes the rich contributions they have provided and continue to provide to this region. This acknowledgement is a first step in our ongoing commitment to reconciliation.
Oral health program update
Following the oral heath program update by Shelly Brown, Director of Community Programs, the Board passed a motion to write a letter to the Ministry of Health advocating for more funding to support public health’s oral health program as a component of a comprehensive oral health strategy. Dental care is an integral component of overall health, and despite the services public health and partner agencies provide, there is an unmet need in our community.
Board members noted that while HPEPH provides dental clinics for children, youth and seniors, as well as oral health screening in schools (although this has been halted by the pandemic), adults aged 18 to 64 do not have equitable access to essential and urgent dental services.
In 2021, despite partial reduction in services due to the pandemic response, there were:
- 244 child/youth appointments at HPEPH clinics as part of the Healthy Smiles Ontario program which provides free preventive, routine and emergency dental services for children and youth 17 and under from low-income households.
- 2,041 appointments for seniors at HPEPH clinics and other dental partners under the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program.
Election of Board of Health Chair and Vice-Chair
The Board unanimously re-elected Jo-Anne Albert as Board Chair. She has served as chair since late 2018. Jan O’Neill was also acclaimed as Vice-Chair. She has served in that role since 2020.
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Media contacts
Maureen Hyland, Communications Specialist
mhyland@hpeph.ca
Emily Tubbs, Communications Specialist
etubbs@hpeph.ca
About Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) is a public health agency that serves the counties of Hastings and Prince Edward from four local offices. We monitor the health of our local population, deliver programs and services within our communities, and help develop healthy public policies. We provide information and support in many areas to help improve the health and well-being of our residents. Together with our communities, we help people become as healthy as they can be. For more information, please visit hpePublicHealth.ca. You can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
We invite community partners and residents to share this Media Release with their respective networks.
