Bruyere health care workers send a message to Ford government ahead of provincial budget: “Stop the cuts” - CUPE

Washington, D. C., September 30, 2026 (PAHO) – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO), and Canada’s Bruyère Health Research Institute (Bruyère Health RI) have signed a new five-year framework agreement to strengthen collaboration on disease elimination, health equity, innovation, and capacity-building across the Americas. The agreement will support PAHO’s Disease Elimination Initiative and other shared regional public health priorities by mobilizing expertise, strengthening partnerships, and promoting evidence-informed approaches to improve health outcomes, particularly among populations living in situations of vulnerability. Approved by PAHO Member States in 2019, the Disease Elimination Initiative seeks to eliminate more than 30 communicable diseases and related conditions in the Americas through integrated, sustainable, people-centered, and equity-focused approaches that strengthen health systems, address the social and environmental determinants of health, and promote multisectoral collaboration.

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a systemic necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis classically involving the upper and lower respiratory tracts and kidneys. Timely diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion for the presenting symptoms. Otolaryngologic manifestations are commonly reported but most often involve the nasal and paranasal sinuses. Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) as the sole initial manifestation of GPA is uncommon and may contribute to diagnostic delay. We report a case of a 67-year-old male who presented with rapidly progressive bilateral SNHL that preceded pulmonary and renal manifestations by several months, during which the patient was treated for otitis externa and Eustachian tube dysfunction without improvement. Development of pulmonary symptoms prompted additional workup, which demonstrated markedly elevated cytoplasmic anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (c-ANCA) and proteinase 3-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (PR3-ANCA), raising concern for GPA. Histopathology then confirmed the diagnosis. The patient was treated with high-dose corticosteroids and rituximab with serologic remission; however, his hearing loss was largely irreversible. This case