By: Heidi Kwok, Staff Writer
On January 19, SFU and the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize their longstanding collaboration and shared mission towards “advancing programs, research, policies, and services that support the health and well-being of First Nations peoples in BC.” The MOU became official upon the joint signatures from FNHA chief executive officer Monica McAlduff and SFU president Joy Johnson. An MOU is a non-binding bilateral agreement between two or more parties, indicating a shared commitment towards achieving a set of goals. The Peak corresponded with Monica McAlduff to learn more.
McAlduff said this MOU reflects the progression of a “strong, values-aligned partnership” between the two parties. In 2020, the university facilitated greater federal funding for Indigenous health research through a mutual Research Affiliation Agreement with FNHA. SFU also financed a $2.5 million FNHA-led study to develop a harm-reduction response to the toxic drug overdose crisis affecting First Nations Peoples in BC. With the recent opening of the SFU School of Medicine, McAlduff said “the university demonstrated a deep commitment to cultural safety, Indigenous engagement, and addressing systemic inequities — priorities that echo our own,” referring to the FNHA’s 10‑Year Strategy on the Social Determinants of Health and the school’s focus on the factors of education, and culture, language, and ceremony as “essential determinants of wellness.
“These shared foundations created the right moment to formalize our partnership with the signing of this MOU.”
She anticipates that this MOU will bring forward “a more coordinated approach to improving health and wellness for First Nations people in BC,” and will also create “a more culturally safe healthcare system for everyone.”
According to McAlduff, the primary goals of this partnership will include: “strengthened research and data‑governance partnership [that] will better support community‑driven analysis and planning,” as well as “meaningful, measurable improvements in how First Nations people experience healthcare and education,” and “increased First Nations leadership in medical education, research, and system planning.”
Decolonization and Indigenization of the medical school’s admissions process, curriculum, and collaboration with Indigenous communities represent a central objective of the MOU. The FNHA is also working with the SFU faculty of health sciences to integrate more First Nations knowledge into its course content.
“We hope that our partnership will lead to improved wellness and better health outcomes for First Nations individuals, families, and communities across BC.”
— Monica McAlduff, CEO of the First Nations Health Authority
