Public Health in Focus
Public Health in Focus is a newsletter by Public Health Sudbury & Districts to inform our community on the public health issues of the day and is issued following our regular Board of Health meetings.
Words for Thought
October 2024
Working at the population level
This month brought the tragic news that a person died of rabies after exposure to a bat in northern Ontario. Our sincere condolences go out to the family who must be dealing with an unimaginably difficult situation.
This sad story is a reminder that health outcomes can sometimes turn strongly based on individual actions—actions that depend on knowledge, judgment, external barriers, and social factors. When not everyone has those in equal measure, inequities in health can arise. When we in public health work at the population level and focus on community-wide measures and policy changes, we can protect everyone so that individual actions matter less.
Rabies from small animals such as racoons and foxes is much less common today than it was 60 or 70 years ago because of population-wide action: policies requiring pets and farm animals to be vaccinated, and efforts to passively immunize wild animals through dropping bait filled with immunizing agents into the wild (Government of Ontario). By reducing infection in animals through policy and environmental measures, the risk was reduced for everyone, regardless of their individual actions or social determinants of health. As a result, behaviour to avoid bites and scratches and responding to get preventive treatment after a bite or scratch matters much less. For this reason, rabies infections are extremely rare, and the tragic death this month is the first in almost 60 years.
We in Public Health will continue to look for ways that we can work together on population-wide and upstream measures to build healthier communities for all.
M. Mustafa Hirji MD, MPH, FRCPC
Acting Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer
Need to do
Get vaccinated and stay protected
The COVID-19 and seasonal influenza vaccines are now available in our service area for high-risk groups and priority populations. Reduce your risk of serious illness this season, and protect your family, clients, and co-workers. Certain pharmacies, primary care providers, hospitals, and long-term care homes offer COVID-19 and flu vaccination for high-risk groups and priority populations. Some walk-in clinics may also offer flu vaccination.
Public Health is offering appointments for COVID-19 and influenza vaccination to
- those aged 6 months to 11 years old who are part of a high-risk group or a priority population, that is persons who are at greater risk of infection or severe illness, hospitalization, and death
- those aged 12 years and older who do not have a health card who are part of a high-risk group or a priority population, that is persons who are at greater risk of infection or severe illness, hospitalization, and death.
High-risk groups and priority populations
Beginning October 28, 2024, the COVID-19 and influenza vaccines will be available at participating pharmacies and primary care providers for everyone 6 months and older.
Respiratory syncytial virus
Ontario has expanded its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prevention programs to include
- vaccination for eligible high-risk older adults (expanded to include more eligible adults age 60+)
- a new RSV antibody treatment for infants and high-risk children up to 24 months of age
- RSV vaccination for pregnant individuals
Learn more about eligibility and how to protect yourself.
Protect yourself from illness
- Stay up to date with your vaccinations.
- Improve ventilation in indoor spaces. Keep windows open, when possible, and set heating, ventilation, and air conditional (HVAC) systems to “on” rather than “auto.”
- Wear a well-fitted mask in crowded indoor public settings.
- Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue and discard used tissues immediately in the garbage, and then wash your hands.
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly for at least 15 seconds.
For the latest advice and updates, follow us on Facebook and X (Twitter) and visit our website. Don’t forget to share this information with friends and family.
Need to know
We strive for health equity by championing equal opportunities for health.
Public Health commits to unlearning and undoing through unique project
Colonization, racism, and white supremacy as social determinants of health affect every person in our society. Some groups benefit and some groups are disadvantaged. Indigenous and racialized individuals, families, and communities are disproportionately affected negatively by these pervasive social issues. The artefacts of colonialism and racism are often unrecognized by the colonial society, even when they are well-meaning and wish to dismantle harmful systems.
On September 19, 2024, Public Health’s Indigenous Engagement team presented to the Board of Health requesting their commitment to participate in the Unlearning and Undoing White Supremacy and Racism Project. The project (created by the Office of the Provincial Health Officer of British Columbia) addresses colonization, racism, and white supremacy. Participants will read, watch, listen, reflect, and start to recognize and understand their role in upholding these harmful systems and learn how to do better. The Board of Health unanimously passed a motion to participate in the learning. This support signals a strong commitment from Public Health leadership to take meaningful steps in confronting and addressing the legacy of colonialism and racism within public health and beyond.
Looking ahead
The project is set to launch in early 2025. The Board of Health along with other Public Health staff will be invited to voluntarily participate in the Unlearning and Undoing White Supremacy and Racism Project.
Wearing purple to promote overdose awareness
Drug overdose (poisonings) can affect anyone. Every year on August 31, people come together to observe International Overdose Awareness Day. One of the central aims of International Overdose Awareness Day is to break the stigma surrounding substance use and overdose. Stigmatization often leads to isolation, preventing individuals from seeking the help they need.
Together as a community, we must stand in support of those affected by this tragedy. To mark the day, Public Health staff wore purple ribbons to show their support and spark conversation. Locally, the Big Nickel at Dynamic Earth was illuminated in purple to honour this day.
Looking ahead
To get involved and to learn more, please visit www.overdoseday.com.
Learn how to respond to an opioid poisoning at phsd.ca
Public Health places third in National Day for Truth and Reconciliation relay
Some of the fifty-six staff (56) members who participated in the Greater Sudbury Police Service (GSPS) third Annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Relay attended the closing ceremony at Bell Park on September 26, 2024. Public Health staff collectively pledged 4722 km and won a print of one of the seven grandfathers—the Sabe—representing honesty, for being the organization with the third-highest number of participants.
Public Health would like to say Miigwetch/thank you to participants for learning about and reflecting on the importance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, while getting active.
Honouring awareness days and events showcases our commitment to our strategic priority of equal opportunities for health by supporting awareness, education, advocacy, and policy development to address the root causes of health inequities.
We strive for ongoing excellence in local public health practice, including demonstrating accountability and monitoring the effectiveness, impact, and quality of our programs and services.
Promoting health equity with data
Our 2024–2028 Strategic Plan continues to be top of mind for staff across the agency. Teams regularly participate in conversations about how they are actioning our strategic priorities and were recently encouraged to get creative with the use of virtual and physical whiteboards to showcase their work in action.
In alignment with our Strategic Plan, Public Health is developing a strategy to voluntarily collect socio-demographic client data. This initiative is a key component of the organization’s commitment to promoting health equity and enhancing the effectiveness of public health practices.
By collecting socio-demographic data, Public Health aims to better understand the diverse needs of the populations we serve, allowing for more targeted and equitable programs and services. This approach aligns with our broader mission of reducing health disparities and ensuring that all individuals, regardless of background or circumstance, have access to the care and support they need.
Among others, our agency was approached by Public Health Ontario to be part of a provincial work group focused on reviewing and recommending appropriate health equity assessment tools. This work is timely given the Ministry of Health’s decision to sunset the 2018 Health Equity Impact Assessment tool.
Looking ahead
The voluntary collection of socio-demographic data is a vital step in advancing health equity across the region. Public Health is taking proactive measures to ensure that its services are more inclusive, culturally appropriate, and accessible for all residents.
Through a variety of our projects, we see our strategic priority of excellence in public health practice in action for clients, communities, and stakeholders.
We establish relationships that lead to impactful partnerships, collaborations, and engagement.
Working together to prepare for the unexpected
Public Health continues to collaborate with municipalities across the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts. During the month of September, staff attended and participated in several municipal committee meetings and emergency preparedness exercises.
The Townships of Sables-Spanish River, Baldwin, and Nairn Centre, along with Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands (NEMI), and the City of Greater Sudbury requested Public Health’s involvement in various emergency planning events. Public Health staff participated as subject matter experts, sharing insights on public health considerations and response strategies during emergencies.
In addition to municipal collaborations, we conducted an internal assessment of our own emergency preparedness. A table-top exercise simulating an extreme weather event was held to test the organization’s ability to maintain operations and respond to major disruptions caused by extreme weather. This scenario-based exercise allowed our staff to explore potential challenges and identify ways to strengthen continuity planning, ensuring the agency can effectively protect public health during times of crisis.
Looking ahead
Fall and winter can bring about unexpected weather and unplanned circumstances such as power outages. Learn more about being prepared in an emergency.
This work is grounded by our strategic priority of Impactful relationships. Though this work, we are collaborating in a way that is meaningful to identify, plan, implement, and evaluate initiatives and services to work toward improving the health of the population.
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This item was last modified on October 25, 2024