Andrew Dean is the vice-president/research and innovation, at Lakehead University (LU photo)
THUNDER BAY Lakehead University is ramping up its lobbying efforts to stop the province from making the Northern Ontario School of Medicine a completely freestanding institution.
It s pointing to the benefits for research that accrue from hosting a medical school at Lakehead.
Last month, the government announced plans to separate NOSM from Lakehead and Laurentian University in the wake of Laurentian s insolvency.
Lakehead President Moira McPherson was quick to criticize the lack of consultation with stakeholders, saying the move has serious implications for medical education in Northern Ontario.
Michael Gravelle (Staff Photo)
The future of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine in Thunder Bay remains top of mind among local officials.
The province has introduced legislation to establish NOSM as an independent, standalone degree-granting institution, raising concerns about the school’s status in the city.
Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP Michael Gravelle is asking local leaders to continue their fight against the move.
“NOMA’s (Northwestern Municipal Association) support has been extremely special and important, and makes a difference in terms of the final outcome of this particular situation,” Gravelle points out.
Gravelle adds this is a topic that can’t be ignored.
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An independent Northern Ontario School of Business could reap benefits for Sault Ste. Marie.
Ross Romano, Ontario’s Minister of Colleges and Universities, recently tabled a controversial bill that would make NOSM a standalone, degree-granting university, sparking outrage from the communities where NOSM currently operates from.
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Since its creation in 2001, NOSM has operated in a partnership with both Thunder Bay’s Lakehead University and Sudbury’s Laurentian University.
Its aim was to help solve the physician shortage in Northern Ontario and improve the health of people in the region.
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The majority of the First Nations served by the health authority were part of the recently completed Operation Remote Immunity, a provincial effort to provide both doses of the Moderna vaccine to 31 isolated First Nations in northern Ontario.
The average uptake rate for the First Nations where vaccines have been administered is about 70 per cent of the eligible population, Dr. Douglas noted, although some communities had a vaccination rate above 90 per cent.
A steady supply of vaccines still needed in the north
Even though Operation Remote Immunity has winded down, the health authority is working on what they call a steady state program to ensure anyone in a remote First Nation that wants a vaccine can get one if they haven t already received both doses.