Encouraging vaccine confidence through community-led initiatives by the Métis Nation Saskatchewan

OTTAWA, ON, May 24, 2023 /CNW/ - The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) recognizes that community-driven initiatives are fundamental to understanding the roots of vaccine hesitancy and fostering confidence in vaccination.  As such, PHAC has partnered with community organizations to support increased access to credible and culturally appropriate information and education on vaccines, helping individuals make informed vaccination choices for themselves and their families.

Through the Immunization Partnership Fund (IPF), PHAC invested $200,000 in a project led by Métis Nation-Saskatchewan: Improving Métis-specific Immunization Access and Promotion in Saskatchewan.

This project supported COVID-19 vaccine confidence, education, and uptake among Métis people in Saskatchewan. It did so by:

• developing vaccine promotion and awareness activities;
• hosting educational sessions, such as Tea & Talks, an online speaker series focused on issues related to vaccination; and
• building greater understanding of barriers to vaccination within this population.

These initiatives helped to bring resources to Métis communities in Saskatchewan, providing individuals with unique opportunities to learn about vaccination in comfortable and accessible settings.

The IPF is a key component of the Government of Canada's approach to advancing population health protection against vaccine-preventable diseases, supporting vaccine equity, and improving vaccine uptake and access through public outreach and community mobilization.

Quotes

"Vaccines save lives. Métis Nation-Saskatchewan played an important role in supporting Canada's COVID-19 vaccination efforts. This funding helped to share valuable information about COVID-19 vaccines and provided culturally safe spaces for Métis communities in Saskatchewan to ask questions and learn about vaccination. Through our IPF partnerships, we will continue supporting vaccine equity to increase uptake and protect everyone from vaccine-preventable diseases."

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Health

"The Improving Métis-specific Immunization Access and Promotion in Saskatchewan project helped people to make informed COVID-19 vaccination decisions. By increasing vaccine confidence, this initiative worked to protect the health of individuals, communities, and our healthcare system as a whole."

Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer
Public Health Agency of Canada

Quick Facts

• Launched in 2016, the Immunization Partnership Fund (IPF) is a key element of the Public Health Agency of Canada's vaccination initiatives. The IPF is an important lever to identify and help address gaps in vaccine acceptance and uptake and to empower people in Canada to make informed vaccine decisions.
• In 2020 and 2021, as part of Canada's COVID-19 vaccination efforts, the Government of Canada invested up to $45.5 million for projects to support COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and uptake.
• In 2022, an additional $3,894,545 in funding under the Immunization Partnership Fund (IPF) was announced to provide continued support to nine existing IPF projects.
• On May 5, 2023, the World Health Organization announced that COVID-19 is now an established and ongoing health issue and no longer constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Even though the current COVID-19 situation no longer constitutes a global health emergency, vaccines remain the best line of defense as the virus is still circulating across Canada and worldwide.
• The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends that everyone stay up-to-date on their vaccinations. This includes staying current on your COVID-19 vaccinations, as recommended to you by your local public health authority.

Associated Links

Vaccination and Immunization
Immunization Partnership Fund
Canada.ca/Coronavirus
Update on the COVID-19 situation in Canada – May 5, 2023

SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada

Guillaume Bertrand, Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, 613-957-0200; Media Relations, Public Health Agency of Canada, 613-957-2983, [email protected]; Public Inquiries: 613-957-2991, 1-866-225-0709