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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, February 20, 2014 | 26 Amnesty has not given up on Celil Acclaim Health co-lead in streamlining complex care by John Bkila Oakville Beaver Staff Celebrating a 45th birthday should be a time shared with family and loved ones, but for Huseyin Celil, it will be a day like any other. Celil, a Canadian citizen who was born in China, is a prisoner of conscience in that country. His birthday is March 1. He was arrested during a family trip to Uzbekistan in 2006 and deported to China. A native Uighur from northwest China, Celil worked on human rights for his people in the 1990s before he fled the country. He came to Canada in 2001 as a refugee from Turkey and settled in Burlington with his wife and four young children, ages ranging from six-15 -- three of whom were born in Canada. The Chinese consider Celil, to be a Chinese national and do not recognize his Canadian citizenship, granted in 2005. They have denied him visits from a Canadian consul since he was arrested and imprisoned in 2006, for what his family and supporters say are trumped up terrorism charges and a means to intimidate others who work on human rights for Uighurs. "He is still in prison -- for many years in solitary confinement with only one meal a day. We are not sure of his situation at present because the Chinese authorities will not release any information about Huseyin," stated a news release issued by the Oakville Group of Amnesty International. The local contingent has been organizing birthday card blitzes every March 1 since Celil's imprisonment in 2007, in an effort to create more public awareness of his case and eventually help bring him back home to Canada. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has raised the Burlington man's Huseyin Celil plight with the Chinese premier, most recently during a visit to China in 2012 for trade talks. According to an online Burlington Post article on Feb. 11, 2012, it was unclear if Chinese officials reacted positively to the diplomatic pressure. "Let's try to get this human rights activist back to Canada -- to his wife and four sons," stated the release. "If people would like to help, please send a note to Prime Minister Stephen Harper requesting further diplomatic pressure be exerted on China in support of Huseyin Celil." For more information, email amnestyoakville@gmail. com or visit www.amnestyoakville.com. -- with files from the Burlington Post Oakville-based Acclaim Health has been named co-lead in a new partnership that aims to help streamline healthcare for those with complex needs. Acclaim Health, along with the Oak Med Family Health Team, was named co-lead for the Health Link partnership for Oakville by the Mississauga Halton Local Health Integration Network (MH LHIN). Health Links are being developed across the province to better integrate healthcare for seniors or people with chronic medical conditions who need multiple services on an ongoing basis. In Ontario, five per cent of patients account for 65 per cent of healthcare spending, stated a news release. "Better co-ordinating services for this small but significant portion of the population, will improve their care. It will also make the system more efficient, ensuring we get the greatest value possible out of our health-care dollars," Angela Brewer, Acclaim Health CEO, said in the release. "We're very excited to be working with Oak Med Family Health Team to lead this new initiative to improve care for people in Oakville." Health Links aims to bring together family physicians, pharmacists, hospitals and communitysupport agencies. "If we can make a meaningful impact in the health of this population, then we can also make a difference on how the system functions overall," Dr. Sandeep Aggarwal, lead physician of OakMed Family Health Team, said in the release. "This can best be achieved if we co-ordinate care together so nobody falls through the cracks. Acclaim Health shares this vision and so we are really happy to be working with them on this initiative." Organizations or service provides looking to be a part of the Oakville Health Link are asked to contact Acclaim Health at 905-827-8800 or www.acclaimhealth.ca, or the Oak Med Family Health Team at 905901-5111 or www.oakmed.ca. Don't miss this, and other great deals! Visit Follow us: @wagjag Proudly Canadian facebook.com/wagjag Fortunately, the hearing instruments of today bear no resemblance to those produced even 5 years ago. Research to improve the quality and naturalness of sound has resulted in digital instruments that perform up to patient expectations. 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