NATIONAL CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO RAISE AWARENESS OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

The Honourable Ujjal Dosanjh, federal Minister of Health and Saskatchewan Health Minister John Nilson, today announced the launch of the National Primary Health Care Awareness Strategy's campaign to provide Canadians with a better understanding of primary health care.

Primary health care is the first point of contact for basic everyday health care. Whether it's to help prevent illness and injury, better manage a chronic condition, treat the occasional illness, promote healthy living, primary health care also improves access and makes the best use of health provider expertise.

"Primary health care holds great potential for improving health care and sustaining Canada's health system for Canadians and their families over the longer term. That's why the federal government is investing more than $41 billion to improve Canadians' access to quality health care, when they need it, no matter where they live, and to strengthen the health care system," said Minister Dosanjh.

This pan-Canadian awareness campaign focuses on four pillars that underpin primary health care: health care providers working in teams; improved sharing of information among health care providers and patients; better access to health information and the right services; and healthy living.

"It is important that Canadians understand what primary health care is, how it can improve their health, and how it can keep our health care systems healthy," Nilson said. "As the lead on this project and on behalf of all governments, Saskatchewan is proud to play such an important part in the evolution of health care."

The television ads will run on national networks for six weeks starting tomorrow, September 21st and be repeated for another six weeks in January 2006. Print ads will appear over eight weeks in the Saturday edition of many daily and weekly newspapers across the country beginning this Saturday, September 24th and also repeated in January 2006.

Partnerships with several health-related organizations were also announced today. Agreements to disseminate information on primary health care to Canadians were formalized with the following groups: the Dietitians of Canada, Goodlife Fitness Clubs, Katz Group of Pharmacies, Loblaws Pharmacy, London Drugs and the Victorian Order of Nurses.

The campaign is the result of a collaboration under the Primary Health Care Transition Fund (PHCTF). Health Canada contributed $9.5 million over two years to Saskatchewan Health for the development and implementation of the National Primary Health Care Awareness Strategy. The PHCTF has funded over 66 initiatives across the country that are working to improve the organization and delivery of primary health care to Canadians.

The primary health care television and newspaper ads can also be viewed online at the National Primary Health Care Awareness Strategy web-site at www.primaryhealthcare.ca.

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For More Information, Contact:

Jocelyn Argue Health Regina Phone: (306) 787-4083	Adèle Blanchard Office of Minister Dosanjh Phone: (613) 957-0200
Jean-Paul Brasseur National Primary Health Care Awareness Strategy Phone: (613) 830-4766 Cell: (613) 724-0412	Carole Saindon Health Canada Phone: (613) 957-1588
Public Enquiries: Phone: (613) 957-2991 Cell: 1-866-225-0709