Cobourg council hears concerns of the KPRD board of health

By Cecilia Nasmith

Cobourg council, which is represented on the Kawartha Pine Ridge District Board of Health, reviewed a letter at this week's meeting to the provincial government from the Kawatha Pine Ridge District Health Unit protesting cuts to health units being planned by the Ford government.

“The proposed $200-million per year reduction in funding for local public health services represents a significant strain on the ability of local public-health agencies like HKPR District Health Unit to continue to deliver on their mandate,” said the letter from board of health chair Cammie Jaquays.

“A reduction in funding that represents 26% of the budget cannot happen without cutting services. These cuts will impact our ability to deliver the front-line public health services that keep people out of hospitals and doctors' offices, and will ultimately mean a greater downstream cost to the health-care system.”

Mayor John Henderson told council all the province's health units are banding together collaboratively in raising their voices in defence of the work they do in terms of prevention and public education.

“There are 31 more letters forthcoming in the next month or so,” Henderson said.

“Stay tuned as this debate continues.”