Health Update: SFU and FNHA sign MOU to improve health and wellness of First Nations peoples in B.C. – SFU News – What Experts Say

Simon Fraser University (SFU) and the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance and implement common goals related to First Nations health and wellness, education and research.

This three-year MOU formalizes existing partnerships and work between SFU and FNHA and outlines a shared commitment to develop programs, policies, research, and services that aim to improve the health and well-being of First Nations peoples in British Columbia. It also affirms support for the principles of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“SFU is committed to upholding Truth and Reconciliation in all that we do, and we are grateful to be moving this work forward in co-operation with the First Nations Health Authority,” says Joy Johnson, SFU’s president and vice-chancellor. “This new partnership will help guide research, teaching and curriculum development university wide, ensuring that SFU takes meaningful action in partnership with Indigenous peoples to advance the health and well-being of Indigenous communities across B.C.”

The joint roles and responsibilities listed in the MOU include:

• Align with core principles of research involving Indigenous peoples, including respect for persons, concern for welfare and justice
• working together to identify opportunities for information sharing and ways to advance the health and wellness needs of BC First Nations, while ensuring compliance with applicable privacy legislation and respect for First Nations data governance principles

“The MOU marks the beginning of our shared commitment to integrate First Nations’ ancestral knowledge, traditions and perspectives in medical education and increase the number of First Nations physicians,” says Monica McAlduff, chief executive officer, FNHA. “Together, we celebrate this significant milestone in advancing culturally safe, trauma-informed and team-based medical education for the next generation of physicians.”

In partnership with FNHA, SFU will develop and renew agreements, strategies and action plans for specific initiatives guided by the MOU including but not limited to SFU’s School of Medicine and Faculty of Health Sciences.

Indigenous health is a foundational pillar for the School of Medicine, with a commitment to truth-telling, reconciliation and co-creating a future where Indigenous Peoples’ rights to health and self-determination are fully realized. This work will shape every aspect of the medical school, from curriculum and admissions to partnerships with Indigenous communities.

“As a key health authority partner, the FNHA has consistently supported the SFU School of Medicine’s mission, community engagement efforts, and strategic direction since our earliest days, particularly through the leadership of Dr. Nel Wieman and her office at the FNHA,” says Dr. Rebekah Eatmon, associate dean, Indigenous Health, SFU School of Medicine. “We are excited about this MOU and our continued partnership with the FNHA as we work together to improve the health of First Nations people in British Columbia by educating and training future physicians who will deliver primary care that is both high quality and culturally safe.”

The Faculty of Health Sciences has begun the comprehensive work of decolonizing and Indigenizing its course content and has supported several FNHA-led health research projects, including the creation of the First Nations Health Authority Chair in Heart Health and Wellness at St. Paul’s Hospital.

“I’m pleased to see SFU formalizing its longstanding partnership with the First Nations Health Authority through this MOU,” says Krista Stelkia, assistant professor of health sciences and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Health Governance. “This collaboration will support the work of faculty, researchers and trainees in the Faculty of Health Sciences, and our partners to improve health outcomes for First Nations peoples in British Columbia by centering First Nations knowledges, worldviews and practices. It represents a transformative step forward, strengthening excellence in Indigenous health research, empowering Indigenous researchers and communities, and promoting Indigenous-led solutions to address structural health inequities.”