Ontario is ensuring that more residents can have access to primary care they need

BY PAUL JUNOR

The announcement on Thursday, July 18^th, 2024, of an investment of more than $14 million in community health centers is good news. It was fitting that the news was welcomed by guests, visitors and media representatives at the TAIBU Community Health Centre located in the heart of Malvern area. MPP Cho (MPP for Scarborough North) stood alongside Sylvia Jones (Deputy Premier and Minister of Health) as well as the Scarborough caucus to release this historic news.

There will be an investment of $1,478,000 in TAIBU and $1,325,000 in Scarborough Centre for Health Communities (SCHC), which will make it possible for about 49,000 people to access primary care teams. This amounts to about 13% of the $110 million that Ontario will invest to ensure that close to 328,000 Ontarians get the same benefits. Details of this news were described in a press release from MPP Cho on July 18^th, 2024.

MPP Cho states, “Scarborough is thrilled and thankful for this critical investment by our government to TAIBU and SCHC who have been pillars in keeping our community healthy. This funding will enhance primary care services locally, ensuring that more residents can have access to primary care they need. It underscores our government’s commitment to bridging gaps in healthcare access and improving the well-being of Scarborough residents.”

Minister Jones notes, “Our government is making record investments to ensure that everyone that wants to have a primary care provider can connect to one. While there is more work to do, giving hundreds of thousands of more Ontarians the opportunity to connect to primary care brings us much closer to that goal.”

The press release mentioned that Ontario is getting closer to its target of ensuring that by having healthcare providers under one umbrella it will make it easier for people to access primary care services due to the expansion of the interprofessional primary care teams across the province. The following health care professionals will be available to Ontarians:

• Doctors
• Nurse Practitioners
• Registered and Practical Nurses
• Physiotherapists
• Social Workers
• Dietitians

The benefits of timely access to primary care were noted such as:

• Helps people stay healthier for longer with faster diagnosis and treatment.
• More consistent support managing their day-to-day health while relieving pressures on emergency departments and walk-in clinics.

The Ministry of Health anticipates that within the next few years, approximately 98% of Ontarians will have access to primary care based on health modeling. It was over a year ago that the province launched, “Your Health: A Plan for Connected and Convenient Care.” There is expectation that there will be the addition of 400 new primary care providers, which include 78 new and expanded interprofessional primary care teams. These teams will include family health teams, nurse practitioner-led clinics, community health centers and Indigenous primary care organizations.

There were words of support and congratulation from several MPPs and representatives from TAIBU and SCHC. David Smith (MPP of Scarborough-Agincourt) states, “I want to thank TAIBU Community Health Centre and SCHC for their steadfast approach in meeting the growing demands for primary care in Scarborough and beyond. They have been instrumental. Thank you, Premier Ford and Minister Jones, for understanding the medical needs and investing the necessary funds to help families seeking this form of care. TAIBU and SCHC, as core organizations, have always been at the forefront of ensuring that residents of Scarborough can rely on these professional services to cope with their family needs and concerns.”

Vijay Thanigasalam (MPP of Scarborough-Rouge Park) states, “I am proud that our government is investing nearly $1.5 million into TAIBU Community Health Centre and over $1.3 million into the Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities (SCGC), as part of our government’s historic expansion of interpersonal primary care teams. TAIBU and SCHC have a long track record in Scarborough, providing necessary care for residents in our community.”

Liben Gebremikael, CEO of TAIBU states, “TAIBU and our partners Rexdale and Black Creek Community Health Centres express our gratitude for this important investment by the Ontario government to the development and implementation of the Afrocentric-interprofessional Primary Healthcare Team in Scarborough, the Northwest and Etobicoke.”

“Anti-Black racism is the root cause for the various disparities and inequities that Black communities face. This culturally appropriate service will enable Black, Francophone and newcomer communities to connect with primary healthcare and wrap around service that is aligned with the Ontario Health Equity Diversity Inclusion and Anti-Racism Framework and Black Health Action Plan.”