A co-author of a massive report on the health care system is encouraged by what she has seen so far on the well-being of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Sister Elizabeth Davis and Dr. Pat Parfrey wrote The Health Accord, a document which stressed the importance of the social determinants of health. She told VOCM News that it was heartening to hear talk of a poverty reduction plan, though she wonders what that will actually look like.

Sister Davis also notes that it’s important to allocate resources to climate change from a personal health and well-being perspective as they clearly heard concerns in places such as Labrador where warming trends are resulting in the loss of permafrost.

“We saw it with Hurricane Fiona and the people in the Port aux Basques area and we saw it last year with the wildfires,” said Sister Davis. “The environment can have an incredible impact on our health.”