From October 4 to 10, Chatham-Kent Community Health Centres (CKCHC) is celebrating our continued work along with their partners in Chatham-Kent to address inequities and ensure everyone in our community is supported during COVID-19 and beyond.
CKCHC officials say they have some activities planned for the week, and you can learn about them, here: https://ckchc.ca/events/.
Building Equitable Futures is the focus of Community Health and Wellbeing Week this year all across Ontario. This week, we pause to recognize and celebrate each other’s work in Chatham-Kent, and also the ongoing work and relentlessness of other community-based organizations, grassroots teams, local leaders and community health champions across the province.
CKCHC officials say they are also looking to the future, and what will be needed to address disparities in healthcare that have been made worse by the pandemic, particularly for marginalized people.
“We’ve continued to step up to meet the increased and evolving needs of our communities, especially those people marginalized more so during COVID-19,” said Sherri Saunders, Executive Director, n a media release.
“COVID-19 is a monumental challenge, and continues to be, but we need to remember there will be other challenges that continue to exacerbate health inequities, such as climate change, racism and the digital divide. Through the vision of our staff, board and volunteers, CKCHC is also looking to the future, and how to build back better after the pandemic so that we have a more equitable, sustainable and resilient Ontario that supports the best possible health and wellbeing for everyone in the years ahead.”
At the CKCHC building equitable futures means that they’re focused on enhancing the effectiveness of our services, embedding culturally appropriate care to our service delivery models, and cultivating partnerships to provide integrated and seamless care to the community.
They’re also always focused on increasing access to the highest quality comprehensive primary health care available, and during the pandemic, that’s meant they have worked with the Chatham-Kent Ontario Health Team (CKOHT) to provide vaccination clinics, continued to run community programs virtually and have provided education to our clients about vaccination, mental health supports and basic need supports while in isolation.
“This is also a week where we reach out to our political leaders for their support,” says Saunders.
“We need leaders’ support to build on trusted partnerships in the community, invest in local innovations and leverage the strengths of community voices and leadership.”
