Hastings public health preparing for Syrian refugees

By Samantha Reed

BELLEVILLE – Staff at the Hastings Prince Edward Public Health say they are busy preparing for the arrival of as many as 950 refugees.

Eric Serwotka, director of health protection with the health unit, said preparation started last week.

“Without having specific direction, we were given a letter from the minister of health, Eric Hoskins, to be prepared.”

The health unit is not clear on its role in helping the refugees, but said immunizations are a top priority.

“With so many settlers that will be coming to Ontario, immunization would be important.”

Despite having very little information, Serwotka said the health unit is preparing as best as possible.

“It’s totally dependent on the number of refugees coming to the area, this is kind of a unfolding as we speak.”

The agency is preparing to do any infection control if needed.

“We will make sure that facilities are in order and that there is appropriate cleaning and sanitizing so that our facilities are up to a standard where people don’t have to worry about getting ill.”

Dental screenings are another service the health unit will provide.

It’s not entirely clear whether the refugees coming to the area have been screened for health concerns or not.

“Some work in terms of public screening has happened or is happening, with the refugees. Privately sponsored refugees for example, have been screened for all those things in advance,” he said.

Local resident Carlyn Moulton is part of a group in Prince Edward County that privately sponsored a family from Syria.

The fourteen-member family arrived in Canada in October.

Moulton said members with healthcare issues are getting them addressed. She did not specify what the healthcare issues are, out of respect to the family, she said.

Privately sponsored refugees are funded by Canadian families and groups. These refugees have prearranged agreements to come to Canada and get healthcare screening before they arrive. Refugees sponsored by the Canadian government come in larger groups and may not be screened ahead of time.

“They (government-sponsored refugees) may need a little more settlement and assistance when it comes to public health,” Serwotka said.

There is also a concern about water-borne illnesses, such as typhoid and hepatitis.

“With the crisis now in its fifth year, water has become even more scarce and unsafe, and poor hygiene conditions especially among the displaced communities are putting more children at severe risk,” said UNICEF’s Syrian representative Hanaa Singer in a report by the organization.

Dwindling supplies of safe drinking water during Syria’s scorching summer months exposed children to the threat of water-borne diseases, UNICEF added.

“Syria did have an education system there and they did have a hospital system and access to drugs. But over the last number of years, that’s slowly diminished,” said Serwotka.

The health unit has not been told which area the refugees are coming from, so it is working to prepare for anything, said Serwotka.

“We have five teams, but if we need more bodies we’ve had conversations with neighbouring health units, and they might be able to contribute,” he said.

Refresher courses and additional training have also been added to the preparation list.

“We did have cultural awareness training that we’ve put together, just to be aware of some of the cultural differences so if we become engaged with clients, we can understand and respect their tradition and cultures.”

Serwotka said in his ten years with the health unit, he has never been involved in a situation like this.

“Everything about this is definitely unusual, and it’s being planned in real time. But we did receive refugees from Kosovo (in 1999) so the health until has had experience.”

He said the most crucial thing is that they are prepared.

“The important message is that we’re ready if we need to be, and I think the staff are really excited in terms of being able to contribute.”