Town of Osoyoos council has signed an agreement with Interior Health to forge a partnership over the next five years aimed at reducing chronic disease and obesity through an expanded regional health care coalition.
Betty Brown, a community health facilitator with Interior Health, said her organization is hiring a full-time co-ordinator to work with local government leaders over the next five years to implement the strategies and programs necessary to dramatically improve community health objectives in Osoyoos and other communities across the southern interior of British Columbia.
This includes the expansion of the Okanagan-Similkameen Healthy Living Coalition (OSHLC).
“We will have dedicated staff to work more closely with local government in the long term to improve healthy communities,” said Brown, during a presentation to members of Town of Osoyoos council Monday afternoon.
The provincial and federal governments have not only recognized that health care costs are escalating out of control, but that it’s also going to take a concerted effort at the local level to initiate programs that encourage beneficial lifestyle choices, said Brown.
The current OSHLC includes the City of Penticton, School District 67, Penticton Indian Band, Interior Health, the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) and the Okanagan Similkameen Healthy Living Society.
The society has decided to expand its scope to include a full range of continuous programming designed to achieve healthier communities throughout the RDOS by initiating the coalition, she said.
“When launched, the coalition will bring together a variety of local and regional partners in a collaborative five-year pilot project aimed at making the Okanagan-Similkameen home to the healthiest communities in Canada,” said Brown.  “The bottom line is we (Interior Health staff and municipal government) have to work together to improve community health.”
The current provincial budget indicates almost 50 per cent of every dollar spent in this province by the government goes directly into paying for the exorbitant costs affiliated with the health care system, she said.
The government also recognizes that poor and downtrodden people are most at risk to suffer serious health problems and there has to be programs and resources available to them so they can improve their health, said Brown.
Many municipalities offer programs like free swimming classes to those with financial need, but this doesn’t make much of a dent if those same people can’t afford money for the bus or to pay for a bathing suit, she said.
People with chronic health conditions represent only 37 per cent of the province’s population, but consume 80 per cent of the provincial health care budget, she said.
“With an aging population, these numbers are projected to increase, yet they don’t have to,” she said. “Chronic disease and obesity can be delayed or their onset delayed.
“Improving the health and well-being of our citizens will require sustained collaboration and partnerships to promote healthy lifestyles. As a result, Interior Health is a core participant in developing the Okanagan Similkameen Healthy Living Coalition and sees the coalition as the vehicle through which community partnerships will be implemented.”
As soon as the core group of six member organizations has completed its foundational work, plans are to expand the coalition to include all regional authorities and relevant agencies that wish to participate.
A regional forum is also in the planning stages for later in 2013.
“It is envisioned the model developed by the coalition will be adopted as the framework for ongoing successful achievement or our common goal to make RDOS communities the healthiest in Canada,” said Brown
“While the coalition is planned as a five-year pilot project, Interior Health partnerships with local governments may extend over longer periods.”
The OSHLC represents the first known regional collaborative organization in B.C. to address healthy living and represents the optimal vehicle to plan and implement community driven strategies to promote healthy living, she said.
Because the coalition will have charitable status, there will be substantial funding opportunities at the provincial and federal government, she said. The coalition will work together to form strategies in regards to active living, tobacco reduction, healthy eating and healthy-built environments within communities, she said.
The Town of Osoyoos has done a great job promoting itself as a healthy place to live by providing a lot of detailed information on its website about the abundance of good food and healthy living options in the community, said Brown.
“I want to say well done Osoyoos,” she said. “You are obviously one of the leaders when it comes to promoting a healthy community.”
Mayor Stu Wells said this partnership agreement is very exciting and continues the town’s efforts to promote healthy lifestyle choices for its residents.
“I’m sure the Town of Osoyoos will be doing everything we can to support this,” said Wells. “I think we can all agree this is the right step forward … and I’m glad we’re part of this new team.”