Last Updated on December 18, 2024 by YGK News Staff
Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington (KFLA) Public Health have voted in favour of merging with two other nearby units, making use of an incentive program put forward by the Ontario Ministry of Health in August 2023.
Provided the two remaining health units vote in favour of a merger at their board meetings on Wednesday and Thursday, KFLA Public Health will merge with Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) and Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit (LGLDHU) to form South East Public Health.
With the expectation that those units will vote in favour of a merger, South East Public Health will come into existence on January 1, 2025 following a brief legislative process.
Dr. Piotr Oglaza, Medical Officer of Health and CEO of KFLA Public Health, said in March that a merger won’t change things operationally for local health units, and it’s main objective will be to find efficiencies that can be taken advantage of through sharing of resources.
“While we will be operating under one organizational umbrella covering a larger region, service delivery will still have to happen locally,” Dr. Oglaza said.
“This is primarily driven by the issue of capacity and improvement of how we can deliver services… So if there are efficiencies and ways how we can do things more cost effectively than intended… the commitment from the province is any of these savings will be reinvested back into the service delivery.”
The three health units voted in favour of exploring a merger in March, and on Monday the government of Ontario announced four proposals for voluntary mergers had been accepted, with South East Public Health being one recipient of funding.
In total across Ontario, 9 Local Public Health Units will be condensed into four.
Dr. Oglaza will be named Medical Officer of Health and CEO for the newly merged unit, while Dr. Ethan Toumishey and Dr. Linna Li will both be named Deputy Medical Officers of Health.
Dr. Hugh Guan will remain in his role as Associate Medical Officer of Health.
A board of health with representatives from each former health unit will be announced in the new year.
