SUBMITTED

The boards of health for Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH), Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health (KFLAPH) and Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit (LGLDHU) have voted to merge to form the South East Health Unit.

All three boards met this week, and all voted unanimously to merge. As such, the South East Health Unit will come into being on Jan. 1, 2025.

The Ministry of Health has committed to provide funding for the first three years of the transition process.

“We are very pleased that we’ll be able to reach the goal we’ve all been working towards for more than a year now,” said KFL&A Board Chair Wess Garrod. “The merger will ensure we have the skilled personnel needed to deliver the highest quality and most effective public health services to our communities.”

The new health unit will serve the existing geographic boundaries of the KFLA, HPE, and LGL, covering a nearly 20,000 square kilometre area, and serving more than 550,000 residents.

“A merger of our three agencies will strengthen capacity and local public health programs and services, resulting in overall healthier communities across the South East region,” said HPEPH Board Chair Jan O’Neill.

Dr. Piotr Oglaza will be the Medical Officer of Health and CEO for the merged agency, while Dr. Ethan Toumishey and Dr. Linna Li will both be named Deputy Medical Officers of Health who will respectively cover two vast geographic regions. Dr. Li will be supporting the LGL region and Frontenac County, while Dr. Toumishey will be supporting the HPE region, L&A County, and the City of Kingston. Dr. Hugh Guan will maintain his role as Associate Medical Officer of Health supporting the whole merged agency. A board of health will be in place with representation from across the new geographic region in the new year.

The new governance structure will ensure that the entire South East region has the benefit of four experts guiding public health issues locally, while still ensuring that each geographic area retains local leadership during the transition to a larger agency.

“Although there is still a lot of work to be done, all three agencies, leadership teams and boards have been working tirelessly to prepare for the merger. Speaking for all the Board Chairs, we want to extend our gratitude and thanks to all those who have been preparing behind the scenes so that our agencies can come together as the South East Health Unit in the new year,” said LGLDHU Board Chair Peter McKenna.

Collaboration with local partners will continue as each office works with their communities to ensure a smooth transition to a merged entity and to maintain appropriate services and supports across the South East region.
Partners and members of the public should continue to engage with their local public health offices as usual until otherwise directed.