Ottawa, Ontario, September 18, 2003. Today the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) for Canada announces their partnership in a four-year project to respond to the STD, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis health crisis in Guyana, South America. “We are so excited to be moving into International Health projects because it is a global extension of our commitment to partner for healthier communities,” states Ron Farrell, President & CEO, VON Canada.
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) selected the Canadian Society for International Health (CSIH) to design and implement a STD/HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis surveillance, prevention, control and care project in Guyana. A consortium of experts from across Canada, including the VON, will work together throughout the project. “Our focus will be on establishing home and community nursing standards of practice and training home and community health care workers to improve their local health care delivery,” notes Faye Porter, Vice President, VON Canada, Guyana Project.
Since 1897 VON has reached out to people in need of health care and support services in their homes and communities. Now VON is reaching further in the hopes of helping international communities improve and maintain their health.
This is VON’s second international partnership to reach a common goal of improving the health and well being of people in need. Their first initiative in 2001 involved teaching the Federation of Ecuadorian Nurses (FEDE) how to develop and implement a home and community health care system in Ecuador.
VON is a national health organization and registered charity offering a wide range of community health care solutions that meet the needs of Canadians from coast to coast. VON is dedicated to being a leader in the delivery of innovative comprehensive health and social services and to influencing the development of health and social policy in Canada. VON is committed to quality improvement and is nationally accredited by the Canadian Council of Health Services Accreditation.