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Red Deer Indigenous group receives $141,300 from Ottawa to address health inequities

A community health impact assessment tool will be developed
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Red Deer’s Urban Aboriginal Voices Society will receive some federal funding to help address health inequities in the Indigenous community. (Advocate file photo).

A Red Deer Indigenous organization will receive some federal funds to help level out inequities and address the complex health challenges faced by its clients.

Red Deer Urban Aboriginal Voices Society will receive $141,300 from Canada Health to better assess the social determinants of health in the local Indigenous community.

Health inequities are the systematic, unfair and avoidable differences in health outcomes, states a release from Health Canada.

“While inequities have long existed in Canada, they have become even more evident during the COVID-19 pandemic,” which disproportionately impacted the mental and physical health of many groups. These include Indigenous people, Black and racialized communities, and Canadians from lower income households, including children, youths, and seniors.

A community health impact assessment tool will be developed with the money that has been allocated to Urban Aboriginal Voices Society. This tool will help the group and its partner agencies develop more effective programs and services for local Indigenous people.

This week, Canada Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced a total funding injection of $635,000 for three Alberta-based groups.

Besides the funding promised to Urban Aboriginal Voices, Edmonton’s Red Ribbon Foundation will receive $243,940 to help address health inequities within the African Caribbean and Black communities in Alberta. Also, Calgary’s Children First Canada will receive $250,000 towards a project that targets the well-being of children.

“Our government is committed to addressing health inequities and ensure access to health services free of racism or discrimination… Together, with the support of community organizations across the country, we can work towards ensuring that our health care system works for everyone,” said Duclos, Canada’s Minister of Health.