FAS CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP

Associate Health Minister Judy Junor today praised a tri-province

partnership as an effective way to use existing resources for

developing new strategies to prevent and manage Fetal Alcohol

Syndrome. She made the comments when she addressed the opening

session of the first-ever Prairie Province Conference on Fetal Alcohol

Syndrome (FAS) in Calgary.



"FAS affects individuals, families, communities and society," Junor

said. "The Province of Saskatchewan greatly appreciates the

opportunity to join with our neighbours in developing a comprehensive

strategy to prevent and manage FAS."



Saskatchewan Health's 1999-2000 budget includes funding for expanded

FAS and Fetal Alcohol Effect programming by increasing funding for

enhancing physician resources through the College of Medicine. This

initiative is part of a total of $800,000 in new funding to improve

the health of women throughout Saskatchewan.



The Prairie Province Conference on FAS is a major component of a

partnership among the provinces of Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba,

launched in 1998. The unique partnership is developing tools and

resources for human service providers, encouraging new approaches to

the prevention, intervention and management of FAS and sharing

information.



FAS is a medical condition caused by alcohol consumption during

pregnancy. In Canada, it is recognized as the leading cause of

preventable birth defects and developmental delay in children.

It is estimated that a child with FAS, or with other

alcohol-related birth defects, requires $1.5 million in lifetime

special care and support.



Manitoba will host the prairie province FAS conference in 2000;

Saskatchewan will host the conference in 2001.



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For more information, contact:



Jeff Brown

Communications Branch

Saskatchewan Health

Regina

Phone: (306) 787-4088