Recognizing the National Day of Mourning
April 28 is the National Day of Mourning – a day to pause and recognize the lives lost or injured due to a workplace tragedy. Also known as Workers' Memorial Day, this day of remembrance is officially recognized in approximately 100 countries worldwide.
“Today is an opportunity to remember and honour those lives lost, but also to collectively renew our commitment to improving health and safety in the workplace and preventing further injuries, illnesses and deaths,” said Geeta Sharma, Director of Occupational Health and Safety at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.
According to Geeta, this year’s memorial is especially poignant during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The impact of the pandemic on healthcare workers is incredibly significant and it’s important to acknowledge the sacrifices of frontline and essential workers who have died or become ill serving during the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.
Geeta, along with the entire St Joe’s leadership team, is incredibly proud of St. Joe’s front-line healthcare workers (HCWs) who have been holding the fort for months on end. It’s also important to recognize that close to 200 HCWs at St. Joe’s have recovered from COVID-19 while others battle physical and psychological exhaustion — yet show up for the fight against COVID-19 — every single day.
“We know many in our community are separated from their own families to offer healing, service and comfort to our patients who often could not be with their loved ones. Today we honour and thank our healthcare workers, and pledge our commitment to workplace safety every day.”
Geeta would also like to acknowledge the daily contributions of our three Joint Health and Safety Committees (JHSC), Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) teams in supporting healthcare worker well-being and safety at St. Joe’s.