Canadian doctors welcome public health initiatives in wake of SARS
http://www.100md.com
《英国医生杂志》
The Canadian government has committed $C665m (￡280m; $US500m; 415m) over three years to various new public health initiatives, including a national public health agency, a national immunisation strategy, and a pan-Canadian public health network.
The new Canadian public health agency will play a similar role in Canada to that played by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. Like the CDC, the Canadian agency will focus equally on the prevention of infectious and chronic diseases and of disabilities.
It will build on existing public health services, resources, and expertise at Health Canada (the Canadian health ministry) and across Canada to coordinate a national public health response to disasters and emergencies. Steps are being taken to recruit a chief public health officer to manage and lead the agency, which is being dubbed "CDC North."
Various recent events have underscored the urgent need for decisive action to protect the health of Canadians, says Health Canada. In 2003, the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) tested Canada's readiness to deal rapidly and effectively with public health threats. In 2004, different challenges—such as the continuing spread of West Nile virus across Canada, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and avian flu—are testing Canada's public health systems.
The Canadian Medical Association welcomed the government's investment in a sound and strong public health system as a new beginning for public health in Canada. The association's president, Dr Sunil Patel, claimed that Canada's public health systems had been chronically underfunded.
"We did not have the capacity to deal with the SARS crisis," explained Dr Patel. "The fact that this money has been allocated does not mean that we are prepared as of today to fight another SARS... What we would like to see the government of Canada do is to make sure that there is money for public health for decades to come."
The lessons that Canada has learned from its response to SARS and other emerging infectious diseases will ultimately help not only Canadians but also other countries that experience similar problems, he added. "There's been an international lack of awareness in terms of public health."
The association also applauded the Canadian government's $C400m investment in a national immunisation programme. Each Canadian province and territory currently operates its own vaccination programme. This system has resulted in some inequalities between the provinces in the way that children are protected from certain infectious diseases. In future, all Canadian children and adolescents should have access to the same vaccines. "This is an excellent first step," said Dr Patel.
The aim of the proposed pan-Canadian public health network is to improve collaboration between the provinces, territories, and Health Canada on public health issues.(Barbara Kermode-Scott, Ca)
The new Canadian public health agency will play a similar role in Canada to that played by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. Like the CDC, the Canadian agency will focus equally on the prevention of infectious and chronic diseases and of disabilities.
It will build on existing public health services, resources, and expertise at Health Canada (the Canadian health ministry) and across Canada to coordinate a national public health response to disasters and emergencies. Steps are being taken to recruit a chief public health officer to manage and lead the agency, which is being dubbed "CDC North."
Various recent events have underscored the urgent need for decisive action to protect the health of Canadians, says Health Canada. In 2003, the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) tested Canada's readiness to deal rapidly and effectively with public health threats. In 2004, different challenges—such as the continuing spread of West Nile virus across Canada, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and avian flu—are testing Canada's public health systems.
The Canadian Medical Association welcomed the government's investment in a sound and strong public health system as a new beginning for public health in Canada. The association's president, Dr Sunil Patel, claimed that Canada's public health systems had been chronically underfunded.
"We did not have the capacity to deal with the SARS crisis," explained Dr Patel. "The fact that this money has been allocated does not mean that we are prepared as of today to fight another SARS... What we would like to see the government of Canada do is to make sure that there is money for public health for decades to come."
The lessons that Canada has learned from its response to SARS and other emerging infectious diseases will ultimately help not only Canadians but also other countries that experience similar problems, he added. "There's been an international lack of awareness in terms of public health."
The association also applauded the Canadian government's $C400m investment in a national immunisation programme. Each Canadian province and territory currently operates its own vaccination programme. This system has resulted in some inequalities between the provinces in the way that children are protected from certain infectious diseases. In future, all Canadian children and adolescents should have access to the same vaccines. "This is an excellent first step," said Dr Patel.
The aim of the proposed pan-Canadian public health network is to improve collaboration between the provinces, territories, and Health Canada on public health issues.(Barbara Kermode-Scott, Ca)