from the Acting Medical Officer of Health, Hastings Prince Edward Counties

 

                                            (web site posting Dec 28,05)

Mr. Mayor, Councilors of Quinte West, Honoured Guests......

Councilor Hamilton and Councilor Carter.....tell me

That the City of Quinte West is awaiting .....with eager anticipation

The arrival of this year's Budget Levy....from the HPE Board of Health.

So I am here today .....first of all.....to reassure you

that that Budget request........... is on its way

And secondly..... to review with you what it is that we do at the Health Unit

What do you get ...for your money

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On the Family Health side:

We work with young people: ....adolescents .....pregnant women....

new parents......their infants.....and their young children .....

We give friendly help and advice..... to these young people

As they establish their lives..... in our community

This a very important function of the Health Unit...

I think in many ways....It is our most important work

On the Dental health side..

We screen students for dental disease ........ in the schools

and we arrange treatment ..........when it is needed

for those children ........who cannot afford treatment


It is worth mentioning the names of some of the dread diseases

............which now are preventable ...by means of ....... vaccination

diphtheria, whooping cough, lockjaw, polio,

meningitis, measles, hepatitis, rabies, influenza.

Each of these...... can be devastating

These infections ....... Used to Occur routinely ....in epidemics

In our own region........ in the last century.

Now, with the exception ......of the unsolved problem of Influenza,

these diseases generally.... no longer occur

This is because of the stunning advances.... in vaccine technology

which we have the privilege........ to deliver to the community.

We tend to take this all for granted........... but we should not.

These contagious diseases....are still out there

It is only ......through careful attention to detail

by our Health Unit staff ....that 96% of our young people

here in Hastings and Prince Edward .........

receive protection.............by complete vaccination

This is one of the highest rates.... in the country, and in North America


We also have specific ....Tuberculosis....West Nile Virus prevention programs

Again, very serious diseases

Another way....... that we prevent infectious disease

Is By ensuring.......... Food safety.... and the safety of drinking water.

These are obviously very basic...and very important functions

However, Food safety, and safe drinking water .....in our community

is not ensured ......... without the oversight of the Health Unit

We also work to prevent and control the spread of..........sexually transmitted diseases .

And we monitor and control............. Outbreaks of infectious diseases

When they occur......... as they often do,

in our hospitals........ and long-term care facilities.

This is especially important..... in the wintertime ...

when respiratory ........and gastrointestinal infections occur

These can be deadly

especially in the elderly.......... who are vulnerable to these infections.

Our role in controlling these outbreaks........ is organized ....and effective ..and essential.


As our population ages ....it is the chronic diseases

...heart and lung disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis

which sicken adults prematurely.

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Health hazards......whether biological, chemical, or physical

commonly threaten... or apparently threaten..... the community

It is the responsibility of the health unit ........to investigate these.

We saw a number of examples.....during the past year....e.g. botulism in Lake Ontario

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Full scale disasters on the other hand.......... rarely occur

Disaster Planning....produces an organized and practiced approach

Which coordinates resources.........

so that an effective response............. can to be mounted when it is needed.

We do this with Municipalities.....as well at the HCNSEO....and internally

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Mr Mayor.....and Councillors..... we at the Board of Health believe

That we have a very exciting..... and very important.... product here

And we think ....that it comes at a reasonable price.....$14 per person in local taxes

When you support our Budget requests each year

Your effect... in reducing misery and mortality in this community.... is huge.

 

Mr. Mayor.....