Public Health Strengthening and Chronic Disease Prevention (Motion #60-23)

Moved by Noland – Signoretti

Approved by Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts, October 19, 2023

60-23 Public Health Strengthening and Chronic Disease Prevention

WHEREAS the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts is committed to ensuring it addresses the public health needs and health equity in its catchment area, as aligned with board of health requirements under the Health Protection and Promotion Act and Ontario Public Health Standards; and

WHEREAS Health Promotion Ontario’s White Paper on the Value of Local Health Promotion in Ontario recommends strong and sustained investment in local health promotion by public health units to ensure that health promotion is prioritized on an ongoing basis; and

WHEREAS the Board recognizes that there are opportunities for system improvements as part of the review of board roles and responsibilities announced under the government’s Public Health Strengthening initiative, including an assessment of its role in chronic disease prevention though health promotion interventions; and

WHEREAS chronic diseases are mostly preventable, are the cause of 75% of deaths in Ontario, and incur $10.5 billion in direct health care costs in the province; and

WHEREAS as the scope and intensity of infectious disease risks increase in the context of finite resources, there is a risk of under-resourcing public health actions that work on longer horizon chronic disease prevention;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT in the context of the Public Health Strengthening roles and responsibilities deliberations, the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts urges all health system actors to remain committed to maintaining appropriate investments in health promotion and chronic disease prevention, while ensuring health risks associated with its health protection work are managed;

AND FURTHER THAT the Board request that the Chief Medical Officer of Health ensure proactive local engagement in the sector-driven review of the Ontario Public Health Standards.

CARRIED

This item was last modified on October 27, 2023