Today, Public Health Sudbury & Districts released a detailed report, Honouring Voices, Embracing Perspectives, Moving Forward: A Summary Report on the Greater Sudbury Summit on Toxic Drugs (PDF). The report documents the insights and priorities from the December 7 and 8, 2023, Greater Sudbury Summit on Toxic Drugs (Summit). Keep reading
With cold weather being a fact of life for northerners, Public Health Sudbury & Districts would like to remind everyone to take appropriate precautions against the cold. Injuries related to the cold can happen at a wide range of temperatures but occur more quickly when it’s colder. Frostbite and hypothermia are the most common and preventable injuries. Keep reading
Recent increases in respiratory and enteric illnesses have led to several outbreaks being declared in hospital and long-term care and retirement homes that put patients at increased risk of illness. Based on its weekly respiratory illness surveillance, Public Health Sudbury & Districts is also reporting high case activity and very high local hospital activity for respiratory illness, and enteric illnesses have been increasing over the winter months. Keep reading
Close to 200 community leaders convened today and will again tomorrow for the Greater Sudbury Summit on Toxic Drugs (Summit). Over the two-day Summit, participants will hear from over 35 experts (PDF, 6 MB) and engage in dialogue to review the magnitude of—and response to—the toxic drug crisis. According to the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario, people from across Northern Ontario are dying from opioid-related deaths at a rate almost three times higher than the rest of the province (PDF, 3 MB). These rates remain especially high in Greater Sudbury despite many sectors working on substance-use prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and enforcement. In response to this escalating and complex crisis, the City of Greater Sudbury, the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts, and the Greater Sudbury Police Service all endorsed motions calling for a local leadership summit on the drug toxicity crisis. Keep reading
The Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Mustafa Hirji as its next Medical Officer of Health (MOH) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), succeeding Dr. Penny Sutcliffe as of March 18, 2024. Consistent with provincial legislation, Dr. Hirji will be Acting Medical Officer of Health until the Minister of Health approves the Board’s appointment. Keep reading
The Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Mustafa Hirji as its next Medical Officer of Health (MOH) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), succeeding Dr. Penny Sutcliffe as of March 18, 2024. Consistent with provincial legislation, Dr. Hirji will be Acting Medical Officer of Health until the Minister of Health approves the Board’s appointment. Keep reading
The conclusion of the two-day Greater Sudbury Summit on Toxic Drugs (Summit) marks a milestone and critical point for collective action. This first-of-its-kind event for the city has set the stage for a more unified community response to the toxic drug crisis—emphasizing collaboration, compassion, and evidence-based approaches. “Just as every person who uses substances has their own path and unique needs, we understand there is no one-size-fits-all solution to this crisis. This is a complex issue. If it were easy and there were ready-made solutions, we wouldn’t have had the need to gather over these two days. We are grateful to participants for their eagerness to listen, coming ready to discuss ideas, and for their openness to others’ perspectives,” said René Lapierre, Chair for the Board of Health for Public Health Sudbury & Districts. Keep reading
The conclusion of the two-day Greater Sudbury Summit on Toxic Drugs (Summit) marks a milestone and critical point for collective action. This first-of-its-kind event for the city has set the stage for a more unified community response to the toxic drug crisis—emphasizing collaboration, compassion, and evidence-based approaches. Keep reading
Public Health Sudbury & Districts continues to offer the updated XBB.1.5-containing COVID-19 vaccines throughout the month of December. The XBB-containing formulations better protect you against the Omicron XBB subvariant circulating across our communities. See all Public Health clinic opportunities at phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics. In the month of December, appointments and walk-in vaccination opportunities remain available. Keep reading
Public Health Sudbury & Districts continues to offer the updated XBB.1.5-containing COVID-19 vaccines throughout the month of December. The XBB-containing formulations better protect you against the Omicron XBB subvariant circulating across our communities. See all Public Health clinic opportunities at phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics. In the month of December, appointments and walk-in vaccination opportunities remain available. Keep reading