Press Release
Four distinct groups are at the heart of the Northwestern Health Unit’s recently-released four-year strategic plan.
Indigenous people, children and youth, seniors, and vulnerable populations (such as those living on low income, racial minorities, and the LGBT2SQ+ community) were identified as priority populations as part of its recent strategic planning process.
Dr. Kit Young-Hoon, the medical officer of health for Northwestern Ontario, said the strategic plan is based around two central themes: creating healthy public policy and health equity.
The latter includes a broad range of issues, including food security, housing, and poverty.
These populations were identified in the strategy document partly because they experience worse health outcomes than the general public and they face more barriers to accessing services.
“Health interventions within these groups can have more of an impact with the limited resources we have available,” Dr. Young-Hoon noted.
Over the next four years, the Northwestern Health Unit also plans on increasing awareness of programs and services relevant to, and among, those priority populations.
As well, efforts will be made to increase input from these groups into health unit planning and evaluation.
The report also details how the health unit will commit to building and maintaining strong working partnerships with those who provide public health and related services to First Nations’ communities.
The full strategic plan can be found on the health unit’s website at www.nwhu.on.ca
