Supporting African Nova Scotians through COVID-19 research

As COVID-19 spread, Halifax Regional Municipality’s Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation identified the need to provide Nova Scotians with enhanced care and support through state of the art improvements to hospital facilities. The Foundation was also able to increase its support for the province’s sizable Black community, partly thanks to a $20,000 grant from the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation.

The Nova Scotia COVID-19 Health Research Coalition was formed to bring research leaders and foundation partners from across the province together to respond to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

To that end, the Foundation, in conjunction with the Nova Scotia COVID-19 Research Coalition, solicited research program proposals that would examine the social and health inequities experienced by Black Nova Scotians, and how this reality impacts their access to services and risk factors for infection. The Nova Scotia COVID-19 Health Research Coalition was formed to bring research leaders and foundation partners from across the province together to respond to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

“This research will equip public health with additional knowledge regarding culturally competent responses to future outbreaks and support community engagement within pandemic protocols which is ultimately an investment in the resilience of our People."

“The generous support of the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation will enable us to address the barriers and underlying social determinants of health that negatively impact the lives of African Nova Scotian people placing them at greater risk of exposure and infection from COVID-19,” said Dr. OmiSoore Dryden. “This research will equip public health with additional knowledge regarding culturally competent responses to future outbreaks and support community engagement within pandemic protocols which is ultimately an investment in the resilience of our People.”

The TELUS Friendly Future Foundation supports the research and efforts of all involved to shine a spotlight on this need. Through targeted programming, the Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation will increase awareness and support for Nova Scotia’s Black community.

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