For immediate release...

Building Bridges:  Creating an Integrated Approach to Women’s Health
Health care representatives from across the country are expected to attend a
four day conference on women’s health at the Victoria Conference Centre from
April 29 – May 1, 2000.

Over a lifetime, women suffer more ill health than men and utilize the health
care system 25 per cent more often than men do.  Participants at this
conference can provide insight into women’s health issues because of their
first-hand knowledge and experience as health care practitioners, researchers,
policy makers, health educators and frontline workers.
The Building Bridges:  Creating an Integrated Approach to Women’s Health
conference will focus on developing a more integrated approach to women’s
health through sharing information and exchanging ideas on a wide range of
topics relevant to the health and well-being of women.  Group discussion,
information sessions and presentations from health care experts will form the
program schedule for the conference.

Keynote speakers expected to attend include:
     Honourable Penny Priddy, Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for Seniors
     Honourable Allan Rock, Federal Health Minister
     Honourable Jenny Kwan, Minister of Women’s Equality
     Monique Bégin, PC, OC,  Professor Emeritus, University of Ottawa
     Sharon Sholzberg-Gray, QC, President and CEO of the Canadian Healthcare
Association
     Jannit Rabinovitch and Ally R, Social Activists, Prostitutes’Empowerment,
Education &     Resource Society (PEERS)
     Nancy Olivieri, MD, Professor of Paediatrics and Medicine, University of Toronto
     Susan Sherwin, Professor of Philosophy and Coordinator of Women’s Studies,
Dalhousie       University
     Toben Anderson, Defying Expectations
    Penny Ballem, MD, Vice President, BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre

One of the themes of this conference is partnerships for women’s health and
it is one of the keys to successfully integrating services for women. We need to
include our health care partners and women in discussions on health care delivery to
make sure we deliver more responsive health services.
The conference will be held at the Victoria Conference Centre from April 29 to May 1,
2000.  Event sponsors include the Ministry of Health, Health Association of BC, BC
Women’s Hospital and Health Center, the Capital Health Region, the Ministry of Women’
s Equality, Health Canada and the BC Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health.

Early bird registration is $325.00 and must be received before February 4, 2000.
After this date, the fee is $375.00 to attend all three days of the conference or
$175.00 to attend one day of the conference.

For further information about this conference including concurrent session details,
visit the conference web site at http://www.hlth.gov.bc.ca/whb/bridges, or
alternatively, contact the Women’s Health Bureau by calling (250) 952-2256 or via
e-mail [log in to unmask]