Government of Canada Supports the Canadian Association of Midwives in communicating the importance of staying up to date with COVID-19 Vaccination

MONTREAL, Nov. 15, 2022 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health announced an investment of $311,310 to the Canadian Association of Midwives (CAM) to support their vaccine confidence project, Midwives for 4.

Minister Duclos was pleased to meet with the CAM and learn more about how the project aims to increase vaccine confidence while encouraging women, pregnant people and people with fertility-related vaccine hesitancy to stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. The project uses multiple tactics, including a community of practice, public engagement campaigns, and peer mentorship opportunities.

The funding is made available through the Immunization Partnership Fund (IPF) to support continued COVID-19 vaccination efforts. Investments through the IPF help close the gap among populations with lower vaccine uptake by enabling informed vaccination choices. Initiatives funded through the IPF are evidence- and equity-based and deployed in communities across Canada.

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

Staying up-to-date with vaccinations by getting all your recommended doses provides improved protection against COVID-19 while helping reduce pressures on our hospitals and healthcare system. If it has been longer than six months since your last dose, or since you were infected with COVID-19, it is time to get your booster.

The Minister took the opportunity to thank the tremendous contributions that midwives have made throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to make every day. He reiterated that the Government of Canada shares the concerns raised by health care workers about the state of our health care system, notably the impact of the health workforce crisis on their patients' ability to receive quality care when and where they need it. Health care workers, including midwives, are the backbone of the health care system and the Minister has acknowledged that the health care workforce is in crisis.

Quotes

"Getting vaccinated is a small action that makes a big difference in our lives and those around us. The Canadian Association of Midwives is playing a crucial role in encouraging everyone, including people with fertility-related vaccine hesitancy to stay up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines to help protect them against severe outcomes. We all have a role to play in promoting healthy communities by ensuring we are up to date on all our vaccines, including against COVID-19 and the seasonal flu.

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos 
Minister of Health 

My team and I had the pleasure of meeting with the Canadian Association of Midwives and learning firsthand how they are supporting excellence in reproductive care and providing education for pregnant people, people with fertility-related vaccine hesitancy, midwives and diverse midwifery organizations. Through their project' Midwives for 4, they are helping support culturally-safe clinical communication regarding the risks of COVID-19 disease in pregnancy, and the importance of staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccination."

The Honourable Minister Marc Miller
Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations

"Through the Immunization Partnership Fund, we are helping people make informed COVID-19 vaccination decisions. Increasing vaccination acceptance and uptake is how we can work together to protect the health of everyone in Canada 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 $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 9 existing IPF projects.
• Vaccination is, and will continue to be, a critical public health measure. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends that everyone stay up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations by getting all recommended doses. If it's been longer than 6 months since your last dose or since being infected with COVID-19, it's time to get another booster. This is especially important if you are at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

Associated Links
Vaccination and Immunization
Immunization Partnership Fund
Canada.ca/Coronavirus

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