New CHC funding for vaccine confidence in Canada
The Federal Minister of Health, along with staff from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) announced last week that it would award $323,000 to the BC Association of Community Health Centres (BCACHC) to address rising vaccine hesitancy in British Columbia. COVID-19 vaccination rates are rising across BC, but there are many individuals and families who are not yet vaccinated or who refuse vaccines altogether. BCACHC is partnering on a nation-wide project to support communities facing vaccine hesitancy and addressing the barriers to achieving herd immunity.
Community Health Centres (CHCs) are multi-sector, community governed, multi-service organizations. CHCs bring together interdisciplinary teams to provide services and programs to support healthy lives. Equity and social justice are key principles of CHCs. These features make CHCs a prime source of messaging to increase vaccine confidence. With the new funding from PHAC, the BC Association of Community Health Centres now has the resources to engage, support, and advocate for CHCs in BCto help address vaccine hesitancy.
“The partnership with PHAC and other CHC organizations around Canada enables trusted CHCs in the community to make sure we achieve the promise of the vaccine program: a BC that has achieved herd immunity and can reopen safely. But we must approach those who are hesitant about the vaccines with compassion and support.” - Piotr Majkowski, BCACHC Board Chair
Here's a press release from our partners at the Canadian Association of Community Health Centres: