From the news release:
The Province is providing a grant of $500,000 to the interCultural Online Health Network (iCON), which offers health information to multicultural and Aboriginal families throughout B.C.
We are honoured to announce that the interCultural Online Health Network (iCON) has received generous continued support from the BC Ministry of Health in recognition of the importance of equal access to health information for all of BC’s communities.
“I am pleased to support iCON,” said Mike de Jong, BC’s Minister of Health, “as they work to increase access to culturally relevant health information online and in community-based settings across the province.”
In addition to live events held in many venues across the lower mainland and Kelowna, iCON also broadcasts its events live to the web in order to maximize the extent to which the program can spread its health information. Designing eHealth programs that are culturally and contextually appropriate is central to the vision of the eHealth Strategy Office, and the iCON webcasts have been an excellent example of a simple but effective use of eHealth technology that can have a great effect on community health promotion.
eHealth Strategy Office director Dr. Kendall Ho thanked the Minister, saying, “the UBC Faculty of Medicine eHealth Strategy Office is honoured and delighted to receive this funding and the opportunity to collaborate with the Ministry of Health.”
iCON has been bringing health information to local and provincial communities since 2007. The eHealth Strategy Office is delighted to be able to continue this work, and to continue developing the iCON platform of community engagement, research and evaluation in this important area for health improvement in our province.
For more information, please contact the iCON project manager, Sophia Khan.