Equitable Access to Care: COVID-19 Emergency Care & Response
The Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA) aims to continue the momentum of previous in-person Health Equity Summits by planning to host a virtual Community Forum in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. As the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 continue to change rapidly, CASSA wants to provide a platform for community members to hear from experts as the situation develops. We hope to take shared responsibility in reducing risks and reinforcing resilience in our communities. The Forum will provide an avenue for experts to share their approach amid the crisis and provide information on available support initiatives.
The virtual Community Forum will be held using Zoom on July 15th, 2020 from 4 pm – 6 pm.
The main event will include:
- Opening remarks
- Plenary
- Question & answer session
- Short survey
- Closing remarks
Narrative and Key Topics
The overarching theme of the forum is Equitable Access to Care for All: COVID-19 Emergency and Health Care Response. Speakers are given full creative liberty on what they can present as long as they remain within the intersectional framework and address COVID-19. Some key topics:
- Canada’s COVID-19 emergency and health care response.
- Specific intersecting identities that make people vulnerable to health inequities.
- Frontline healthcare workers and communities who have been hit hard by prevention measures.
- Disparities in reported cases – identities within the larger community that have gone unnoticed.
- Approaches communities can take to advocate for health equity in times of crisis and emergencies.
- Available federal and community support initiatives
Uncovering the Unknowns
With the many unknowns and rapidly changing conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, CASSA is providing a platform for community members to hear from experts and acquire reliable information on the crisis.