Dr. Ethan Toumishey, Medical Officer of Health and CEO for HPEPH, has released a statement in recognition of Black History Month.
Hastings and Prince Edward Counties/Feb. 1, 2023
Today marks the first day of Black History Month, which serves as a reminder to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Black Canadians. This month also provides an opportunity to recognize that work must continue to improve equity for racialized members of our community.
Between 2016-2021, there was a 41% increase in populations who self-identify as a member of a racialized group in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties1. This reinforces the importance of working together to address racism and build the foundation of a supportive and inclusive community. Race, and more specifically the effects of racism, is a social determinant of health. The social determinants of health are conditions that people are born into – social, political, and financial – that impact people’s long-term health through circumstances beyond their control. Anti-Black racism can have a profound impact on health by causing mental and physical stress, which can lead to disease. Addressing these inequities is a key component of public health’s mandate, and we at Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) recognize there is still much work to do.
We are working to continue advancement of the HPEPH Health Equity Strategy. Through these efforts, a HPEPH public health nurse chairs the Quinte Local Immigration Partnership (QLIP) Anti-Racism Committee. This group includes representatives from health, education, social services, and grassroots sectors and aims to promote and support anti-racism initiatives in the region.
HPEPH also continues to support partners in efforts to address racism. Last month, HPEPH shared a survey developed and led by Colour of Poverty-Colour of Change which seeks to understand employment related racism in select communities across Ontario. We encourage impacted community members to participate in this survey, which is available until February 9.
We recognize the impact of racism on health outcomes, and as an organization will continue to address the effects of racism across our program planning, whether that is in serving people experiencing homelessness, through supporting new parents, through delivery of other services, or through our work with community partners.
This February join HPEPH in considering how you can advance the work of anti-racism to create a safer, healthier, and more just community for all.
If you have feedback as to how we can make our programs and services more inclusive, please reach out.
1. Statistics are based on census data from 2016 and 2021 on individuals who identified as a “visible minority”.
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Media contacts
Emily Tubbs, Communications Specialist
etubbs@hpeph.ca
Maureen Hyland, Communications Specialist
mhyland@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.
