Simcoe-Muskoka Health Unit Notes

THE PROVINCE has extended the eligibility timeframe for Grade 8 girls for the publicly funded HPV vaccination program, the board of health for the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit heard at its recent board meeting.

Grade 8 girls who have started the three-dose series by September 1, 2008 may now complete the series as part of the publicly funded program during their Grade 9 year.

In addition, family doctors are now able to administer the vaccine to those eligible.

While this is good news, said Dr. Charles Gardner, Simcoe Muskoka's medical officer of health, he reminded the board that the health unit continues to urge the province to include the HPV vaccine as a publicly funded immunization for females between the ages of nine and 26 years.

This past year was the first year that the vaccine was publicly funded for Grade 8 girls. About 65 per cent of eligible Simcoe Muskoka girls took advantage of the program, one of the highest uptake rates in the province.

The HPV vaccine protects against HPV types 16 and 18, which are responsible for an estimated 70 per cent of cervical cancers, as well as types 6 and 11, which cause 90 per cent of genital warts.

More information on HPV can be found at www.simcoemuskokahealth.org.

Health unit calls for funding to enhance youth action work

A SUGGESTION by the Minister of Health Promotion that Youth Action Alliances (YAA) include other healthy lifestyle topics within their tobacco control work has met with a request for consultation to ensure expanding their role is successful.

YAAs are leadership programs employing high school students for tobacco prevention work among their peers.

The health unit has received funding from the ministry for a Barrie-based YAA since 2005. The resolution passed by the board asks that the ministry consult with health units to determine the best approach for the expansion of YAAs, as well as enhanced funding to broaden the work of YAAs to include the other geographies within the health unit.

alPHa conference a great success

BOARD MEMBERS commended the theme of the recent Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa) 2008 conference, "Building for Health: From Vision to Reality" as a pertinent and valuable learning experience.

The conference, co-hosted by the health unit and held in Alliston, looked at how health is affected by the built environment. Modern day built environments have engineered physical activity out of daily lives and as a result we are seeing rising incidence of chronic diseases including diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.

The conference featured keynote speakers and activities on how to make change happen.