Public Health services are delivered through the provinces seven health regions. A Chief Medical Officer of Health oversees the development of policy and regulations, and provides medical operational support to the regional Medical Officers of Health.

Public Health Services support healthy growth and development, foster healthy lifestyles, control communicable diseases, and protect the public from adverse health consequences of exposure to chemical, physical and biological agents.

Public Health Services are provided through the following programs:

• Immunization

  The goal of the Immunization program is to provide safe and effective vaccines to protect the population against vaccine-preventable diseases.
  Additional Information: Mumps

• Early Childhood Initiatives (ECI)

  ECI is a province-wide, integrated service delivery system for prevention-focused childhood services. The overall goal of ECI is to enhance the development of children before they enter the school system, and thereby contribute to their school achievement. The program targets “priority” children from the prenatal stage to age 5, whose development is at risk due to physical, intellectual or environmental factors. Priority prenatal women and children from birth to school entry who meet established eligibility criteria are accepted for ECI services. Criteria vary depending on the ECI component. In addition Public Health offers a universal 3½ year health clinic. All children who have reached the age of 3½ years are invited to attend the 3½ Year Old Health Clinic prior to school entry. While the Clinic is not mandatory, information is transferred to school districts with parental consent.

• Healthy Learners

  The mandate of the Healthy Learners program is to support the long term outcome of student health, wellness and learning achievement. The goals of the program, based on the three components of comprehensive school health are that:

  • The school-community acquires knowledge, attitude and skills to achieve wellness
  • The school-community provides healthy and safe learning environments
  • The school-community has access to services and support.

• Sexual Health Program

  The purpose of the Sexual Health program is to provide accessible, comprehensive sexual health services directed at youth; to offer services enabling clients to strive for healthy sexual lifestyles; and to work to reduce the incidence of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections in New Brunswick youth. This program is targeted at: Youth (under 25 years of age) for education, counseling and clinical service components; Parents/guardians of all youth for counseling and education components; and Professionals (i.e., teachers, health professionals, and community youth groups) who work with youth for counseling and education components.

• Communicable Disease (CD)

  The Communicable Disease program includes surveillance, investigation and control, outbreak control, emergency planning and HIV testing. To detect and monitor occurrence of communicable diseases by monitoring communicable disease prevalence and incidence rates. This surveillance is accomplished through data collection and analysis.

  • Communicable Disease Investigation and Control

    The purpose of Communicable Disease Investigation and Control is to investigate reports of communicable diseases (actual or potential) in an effort to determine the source and initiate appropriate public health measures to control the disease and prevent further spread. This is done through contact tracing, control measures, health education information and other medical follow-up as required. Communicable Disease categories include: enteric, food and waterborne diseases; diseases transmitted by direct contact and respiratory routes; sexually transmitted and blood borne diseases; vector borne and other zoonotic diseases; vaccine preventable diseases; and other non-reportable communicable diseases.

  • Outbreak Control

    The process of Outbreak Control includes: data collection and analysis; hypothesis generation re: potential source; emergency control measures; and contact tracing.

  • Communicable Disease Emergency Planning and Response

    The goal of Communicable Disease Emergency Planning and Response is to minimize morbidity, mortality and societal disruption associated with a potentially catastrophic communicable disease outbreak or pandemic. Strategies to achieve this goal are disease dependent.

  • HIV Testing Program

    The purpose of the HIV Testing Program is to reduce risk behaviours; reduce incidence; minimize associated morbidity through information and counseling; facilitate early detection and access to treatment for infected individuals; and to build partnerships to enhance effectiveness in minimizing HIV and other bloodborne infections. The Public Health nurses in this program provide outreach services to the community or corrections facilities and work in partnership with community organizations such as AIDS groups.

Administrative Director, Public Health: Deborah Godlewski

Office Locations

Saint John
Mercantile Centre
55 Union Street
Saint John, NB
E2L 5B7
Telephone: 506-658-2454

Sussex
30 Moffatt Avenue
Sussex, NB
E4E 1E8
Telephone: 506-432-2003

St. George
5 Riverview Avenue
St. George, NB
E5C 3M1
Telehphone: 506-755-4022

St. Stephen
41 King Street
St. Stephen, NB E3L 2C1
Telephone: 506-466-7504

Grand Manan
Grand Manan Business Centre
Grand Manan, NB
E0G 2M0
Telephone: 506-662-7024

Additional Public Health information is available at the following link: http://www.gnb.ca/0051/0053/index-e.asp

Last Modified: February 06, 2008