Canada was experiencing an outbreak already this year, with close to 3,900 measles cases reported to date. This number is more than double the approximately 1,300 cases being reported in the United States. That incredible gap in inequity means that Canada’s measles number is now triple that of its southern neighbour. In the U.S., public health officials admit their counts don’t come close to capturing the full picture. The worrisome development overflows alarm about the immediate public health reaction and resource distribution in each country.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have been subjected to massive budget cuts, amounting to at least $12 billion in cuts. These cuts have drastically restricted their capacity to respond robustly to the outbreak. The U.S. is in the midst of its biggest measles outbreak in six years, impacting at least 39 states. In a collective panic, officials are trying to find resources as quickly as possible to address this crisis.
Health Staffing Challenges
Now British Columbia is facing another burgeoning health catastrophe. More than 9,000 U.S. health workers rushed to inquire, and in just the past two months, there have been 780 formal job applications from U.S. health workers. While future staffing challenges may benefit from this influx, exacerbated staffing shortages have only been deepened by the ongoing health emergency.
British Columbia is fast-tracking licenses for foreign health professionals. This is a significant step to relieve some of the burden on the province’s healthcare system. It puts pressure on the other provinces to do more to get international talent.
“There’s quite a large amount of cases that are not reported.” – Dr. David Sugarman
Risks of Reliance on U.S. Inspections
Canada’s dependence on foreign inspections for drug manufacturing facilities presents an increasing risk, particularly as the U.S. government implements sweeping cuts to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA carries out in-person inspections for only 60 percent of the drug manufacturing facilities that directly service Canada. This has serious implications for the quality and safety of imported medical products.
Canada, too, is at a critical crossroads. Health officials are calling for a reassessment of how inspections are handled and the resources available to monitor and track outbreaks such as the measles. To complicate matters, the current opioid crisis brings even further strain to our already-stressed public health systems.
Air Quality Concerns and Health Implications
As our neighbor to the north grapples with its own outbreak of measles, persistent levels of smog have covered nearly half of Canada so far this month. Not surprisingly, doctors in Quebec are concerned. In the meantime, they believe the long-term health risks of lingering poor air quality have fallen by the wayside. As a recent study confirms, even modest increases in indoor air pollution can have a dramatic impact on brain function. In one case, for example, chess players performed 25 percent worse in polluted settings.
Meanwhile in Ontario, political leaders are openly debating whether to allow the public to fund certain medical procedures. This program would help provide healthcare to over 110 million more people within the next five years. These advances illustrate how complex and connected our public health challenges truly are. We must draft and implement far-reaching strategies to address not only today’s urgent outbreaks, but the persistent long-term health threats.
