OTTAWA, ON, July 12, 2021 /CNW/ - In the fight against COVID-19, it is critical that as many Canadians as possible get vaccinated. That is why the Government of Canada is taking action to make sure every Canadian who wants a vaccine can get one, thereby closing the gap among populations with lower vaccine uptake.
Today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, announced five new projects receiving funding through the Immunization Partnership Fund (IPF) to support vaccination efforts across Canada. These community-based projects will reduce barriers to vaccine uptake among communities disproportionately impacted by the pandemic through evidence-based and culturally relevant vaccination strategies.
The African Arts & Culture Community Contributor Society will receive funding to empower Black community leaders in British Columbia as COVID-19 vaccine promoters, establish Black-led vaccine clinics, and develop culturally responsive vaccine resources.
The Mainline, a program of the Mi'Kmaw Native Friendship Centre, will receive funding to encourage vaccine uptake among people who use drugs and urban Indigenous peoples in Nova Scotia. This project will provide credible COVID-19 vaccine information to these communities and deliver low-barrier vaccine clinics and mobile services.
Regroupement des centres d'amitié autochtones du Québec will receive funding to train the staff of three Quebec-area Friendship Centres to raise awareness of the importance of vaccinating against COVID-19 among the Indigenous population, with a special focus on youth, through culturally responsive outreach.
Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services Inc. will receive funding to implement a range of community-based COVID-19 education, promotion, prevention and outreach strategies to support vaccine uptake among urban Indigenous populations in Regina and surrounding communities.
Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre will receive funding to hold weekly COVID-19 vaccine pop-up clinics at single room occupancy dwellings and homeless shelters for homeless or transient populations in Vancouver and New Westminster. This project will provide COVID-19 testing and vaccine education, promotion, and outreach to facilitate and encourage vaccine uptake among these populations.
The Government of Canada is working closely with experts, provinces and territories, and other partners to encourage vaccine confidence and better understand the barriers people may face to getting vaccinated. The IPF is one tool to help people in Canada make informed vaccine choices through community mobilization and public outreach.
Quotes
"Vaccines are an important tool to protect Canadians against COVID-19. Getting vaccinated is a small action that makes a big difference – which is why we're helping everyone in Canada get vaccinated against COVID-19. These projects are using tailored strategies to reduce vaccine access barriers and facilitate COVID-19 vaccine uptake among populations disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Supporting community-based solutions helps remove systemic barriers to vaccination and will protect more people―and communities— from COVID-19."
The Honourable Patty Hajdu Minister of Health
Quick Facts
- All project activities started in June 2021.
- The Immunization Partnership Fund (IPF) supports projects that improve access to vaccines and encourage vaccine acceptance and uptake.
- In 2020, as a response to Canada's COVID-19 vaccination efforts and building on the early momentum of the IPF, the Government of Canada invested an additional $64 million for projects to support COVID-19 vaccine uptake in Canada. This funding includes:
- $30.25 million for community-led projects to develop tailored, targeted tools and educational resources to raise awareness of, and confidence in, COVID-19 vaccines.
- $32.5 million to support provincial and territorial governments in enhancing their electronic vaccination registries to help monitor vaccine uptake.
- $1.3 million to amend existing funded projects to incorporate measures and activities to address COVID-19.
- The IPF is one of several programs by the Government of Canada to work with communities to increase vaccine confidence and address barriers to getting vaccinated. This includes the Vaccine Community Innovation Challenge which will provide up to 140 grants for community-driven information campaigns to empower community leaders to spread the work on COVID-19 vaccines and public health measures.
- The Ask the Experts campaign will run from June 15, 2021, to July 31, 2021. The ads will appear on TV, web sites, social media and in search engine marketing. Through a series of videos, the campaign answers a variety of questions such as the importance of getting the second dose of the vaccine, why people who are young and healthy need to get vaccinated, and how the vaccines work.
- Through the IPF:
- African Arts & Culture Community Contributor Society will receive up to $450,000 for its project, Increasing confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine in British Columbia's Black Community.
- Mainline, a program of the Mi'Kmaw Native Friendship Centre, will receive up to $123,000 for its project, Promoting Vaccine Access and Acceptability for People who Use Drugs and Urban Indigenous People in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
- Regroupement des centres d'amitié autochtones du Québec will receive up to $475,000 for its project, Miro Matisiwin (bien-être).
- Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services Inc. will receive up to $100,000 for its project, Regina Urban Indigenous COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy.
- Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre will receive up to $460,000 for its project, Community Pop-Up Clinics for COVID-19 Outreach at Single Room Occupancy Dwellings & Homeless Shelters.
Associated Links
Backgrounder: New Projects Funded Under the Immunization Partnership Fund
Immunization Partnership Fund
Vaccination and Immunization
Canada.ca/Coronavirus
SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada
Thierry Bélair, Office of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, 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; COVID-19 Public Inquiries: 1-833-784-4397
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