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
April 2025
The essential role of vaccination in schools and child care
There has been plenty of news coverage in recent weeks about measles outbreaks in Ontario, as well as in the southern United States. These represent a resurgence of measles across the globe since the COVID-19 pandemic response. The pandemic’s emergency phase caused health care to be focused on treating acute illnesses of COVID-19 and away from general preventive care, such as vaccination.
As of April 23, Ontario has had 1018 measles infections related to the current outbreak. While this may not seem to be many, that includes 76 persons becoming hospitalized—one in every 13 people. Almost all if not all of those hospitalized people were likely children given that measles is most severe in children. This is not a benign disease.
In the past month, the Ontario outbreak has stabilized with between 87 and 136 new infections occurring each week. However, we need infections to trend downwards to end the outbreak, so there is more work to do. And even once infections start to decline, it will likely be months before the outbreak can end, and hundreds more persons will become infected during this time—with one in every 13 being hospitalized.
There are two key statistics worth highlighting from this outbreak. First, the vaccination breakdown of those who have become infected:
- Only 5.2% of persons affected by the outbreak were fully vaccinated. 94.8% were unvaccinated, had too few vaccinations, or didn’t know if they were vaccinated (likely were not fully vaccinated).
The second key statistic is the age of those infected with measles:
- 75% of persons affected by the outbreak are at the ages of 1 to 19 years, when they are usually in school or child care.
At Public Health, we place a priority on vaccination in schools. In recent years, as our staffing has reduced due to declining funding from the provincial government, although vaccination in the community has decreased, we have maintained all our work in schools. This data shows the importance of that.
Public Health is currently undertaking its enforcement activities around the Immunization of School Pupils’ Act. This effort ensures all parents have made a decision on whether to vaccinate their child and do not put off deciding; overwhelmingly, parents choose to vaccinate their children with upwards of 95% of children getting up to date through this effort each spring. A similar effort occurs each summer to encourage and remind parents of child care attendees to get their children up to date.
As this outbreak shows, these efforts to vaccinate children are the most critical to preventing outbreaks, and to preventing severe illness from those outbreaks. However, public health’s efforts are only part of the equation. We also need professionals who can deliver vaccines to those who are informed when they are due for more immunizations. As public health grapples with declining funding and primary care is overwhelmed by increased need for care, it is becoming more difficult for parents and children to find opportunities to get vaccinated. And for those with socioeconomic challenges (for example, the need for transportation, language and cultural barriers, parents who can’t take time off work during business hours), barriers to vaccination are even greater.
Preventing outbreaks of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases needs both ongoing diligence of public health to audit vaccinations for children, as well as investment by governments into health services to deliver vaccinations, especially to those who have barriers.
M. Mustafa Hirji MD, MPH, FRCPC
Acting Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer
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Year in review
Reflecting on 2024
Public Health maintains its commitment of creating healthier communities for all by collaborating with partners who share our goals and investing in impactful client-oriented programs and services.
In 2024, Public Health worked to improve health for individuals, families, and communities throughout our service area. Our efforts spanned a broad range of public health priorities, whether by supporting oral health, preventing and managing outbreaks, bending the curve on substance use, or strengthening relationships with Indigenous communities. Public Health connected the dots in 2024 to advance population health and address local needs in the pursuit of improving overall well-being, engagement, and access to care.
Visit phsd.ca to read more on our efforts in 2024
We strive for health equity by championing equal opportunities for health.
A journey of Unlearning
On March 21, 2025, on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Public Health launched the Unlearning Club in ceremony with Nokomis Martina Osawamick.
The Unlearning Club is a voluntary 18-month learning journey for staff, leadership, and members of the Board of Health. It explores how racism, white supremacy, and colonization continue to affect people’s health today. More than 90 people attended the launch event, and a total of 119 participants have signed up to participate. This represents about one-third of our organization.
Why is this work important?
The Unlearning Club aims to provide participants with the tools to recognize how anti-Indigenous racism and white supremacy manifest in our daily work, through policies, practices, and processes. It also supports participants to actively adopt anti-racist strategies to challenge and dismantle these systems. The journey includes group discussions, self-directed learning, and time for personal reflection.
Looking ahead
Public Health Sudbury & Districts is working to ensure that its services, relationships, and systems contribute to a healthier, more equitable future for all, where everyone is served fairly and respectfully.
Initiatives such as this one showcase 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.
Supporting local readiness for emergencies across the region
During February and March, Public Health staff worked closely with community partners to support local emergency preparedness efforts to help ensure that coordinated plans are in place to protect the health and safety of people in the event of an emergency.
These collaborations include
- The Town of Espanola Emergency Management Committee
- The Greater Sudbury Emergency Management Advisory Panel
- The Conservation Sudbury/City of Greater Sudbury Flood Contingency in-service
- Emergency Food Plan discussion with local partners
In addition to these planning efforts, our agency also shared timely information on our social media channels regarding response to power outages in preparation for the freezing rain event at the end of March.
Extreme weather events can be dangerous, but there are ways to protect your family. Every household needs an emergency plan. It will help you and your family know what to do in case of an emergency.
Be prepared: make a 72-hour emergency kit.
Preventing and controlling infectious diseases
Public Health plays a vital role in protecting our communities from infectious diseases through surveillance, response, and prevention. In February and March alone, staff investigated 180 reports of illness and managed 38 outbreaks in local institutions.
Our staff continue to monitor reports of illness and act quickly to stop them from spreading, especially in places where people are more at risk, like congregate living settings or child care settings.
With measles cases on the rise across the province, Public Health remains alert and ready. An up-to-date measles preparedness plan is in place, and updates continue to be provided to health care providers. The best way to protect yourself and others is to make sure your measles vaccine is up to date.
In addition, our agency marked World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on March 24. This year’s message was Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver. Public Health issued a letter to health care providers to thank them for their work and to share ways we can continue to protect people from TB.
Many of the illnesses we monitor—like measles, the flu, and TB—can be prevented. To protect yourself and others,
- Monitor your health: Stay home if you feel sick.
- Wear a mask: Wearing a mask, especially in crowded or indoor settings, can help reduce the spread of viruses.
- Get vaccinated: If you haven’t already, ensure you’re up to date on your vaccinations.
Through a variety of Public Health services, 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.
Partnering for equity and inclusion
Throughout March, Public Health staff participated in several community events focused on addressing barriers to health and social services and building a more inclusive, supportive, and equitable community.
Members of our Health Equity Team attended the Mental Health Matters March Break Day Camp (organized by Thriving African Families), participated in Forum communautaire 2025 (hosted by the Centre de santé communautaire du Grand Sudbury and the Community Advisory Board of the Communauté francophone accueillante), and joined the Third Annual Greater Sudbury Immigration Summit (hosted by the Sudbury Local Immigration Partnership).
The events brought together diverse partners and community members to advance conversations on mental health, newcomer integration, and culturally responsive care and aimed to
- Bring awareness of systemic disparities in mental health by engaging Black children and youth (ages 14–29) in a culturally affirming space
- Enhance collaboration between service providers, Francophone organizations, and community members to support the successful integration of newcomers in the City of Greater Sudbury
- To highlight the impactful work of community organizations and deepen our understanding of ways community partners can make Sudbury more inclusive for newcomers
Being present in community spaces helps us listen, learn, and collaborate on real solutions that reflect people’s lived experiences. Together, we’re helping create a healthier, more inclusive Greater Sudbury for everyone.
Collaborating to highlight Indigenous-led solutions to food insecurity
To improve awareness of Indigenous approaches to addressing food insecurity, Public Health staff were honoured to co-host an event on Indigenous Food Sovereignty alongside the Sudbury Food (In)Security Committee. Held at the Main Branch of the Greater Sudbury Public Library, the event brought together community members to learn, reflect, and celebrate Indigenous culture and leadership in solutions to food security challenges
The event began with a reading by acclaimed author Waubgeshig Rice from his most recent novel, The Moon of the Turning Leaves. This was followed by an engaging discussion, facilitated by Natalie Lacasse, Manager of Indigenous Strategic Community Engagement at Laurentian University, with the following local experts
- Jordan Assinewe, Manager of Community Relations and Health Promotion at Shkagamik-kwe Health Centre
- Dr. Joseph LeBlanc, Associate Vice-president Equity and Inclusion and Assistant Professor of Indigenous Health at NOSM University
- Quinn Meawasige, Northeast Community Relations Lead at Gaagige Zaagibigaa.
Panelists shared powerful insights into how Indigenous communities are reclaiming, rebuilding, reskilling, and restoring knowledge and skills to move toward food self-determination. The importance of Indigenous-led solutions to effectively address food security concerns was evident from the knowledge and experiences shared.
Public Health is proud to support and collaborate on initiatives that uplift community-led approaches to health and well-being.
This work is grounded by our strategic priority of impactful relationships. Through 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 April 30, 2025