June 29, 2007 – A first in Canada: a Center of Excellence in Health Promotion will soon be created within the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center (CHU). The target clienteles will be children aged 0 to 5, parents and pregnant women.
This initiative is made possible thanks to the collaboration of the Sainte-Justine Hospital Foundation and the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation which, together, will provide funding of more than $ 5 million over the next five years.
The actions of the Center of Excellence in Health Promotion will be based on three main areas:
- Care focused on prevention needs such as nutrition, physical activity and smoking abstinence.
- Safety as the prevention of domestic injuries and the promotion of an environment free from violence.
- Attachment and early stimulation in children.
The Center of Excellence’s priority is first and foremost to offer healthy food to patients, employees, physicians and visitors. Both the kitchen menus and the content of the food vending machines will be reviewed.
The hospital will also promote breastfeeding, in addition to implementing the “UniverSanté” program for families, a project focused on promoting health and healthy lifestyles among parents.
The PasseportSanté.net website1 will also be involved. A section of the site dedicated to children will be created in partnership with the CHU Sainte-Justine.
The DD Véronique Déry, who was entrusted with the management of the Center of Excellence in Health Promotion, stressed that she intends to “implement the standards established by the World Health Organization so that the CHU Sainte-Justine is accredited health promoting hospital “.
Martin LaSalle – PasseportSanté.net
1. The site www.PasseportSanté.net is a 100% subsidiary of the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation (FLAC).
