At the same time, the United States is making historic cuts to its public health infrastructure. In return, Canadian health professionals are calling for a better health monitoring program across Canada. Dr. Lorian Hardcastle, an associate professor at the University of Calgary, has expertise in health law and policy. In this video, she highlights the deadly urgency of the situation. He asserts that the U.S.’s diminishing support in health surveillance could have dire implications for Canada’s public health strategy.
A new commentary published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) rings the alarm on these issues. The article was written by Dr. Shannon Charlebois, a family physician and medical editor of CMAJ, and Dr. Jasmine Pawa, a public health and preventive medicine physician at the University of Toronto. They caution that underfunding of U.S. health institutions is putting access to crucial surveillance data at risk.
The Ripple Effect of U.S. Health Policy
The editors of the CMAJ editorial further note that the U.S. is a uniquely Canadian force in public health. As Dr. Charlebois explains, “We’ve had a decades-long relationship with the Centers for Disease Control and other organizations in the States.” This relationship has historically given Canada access to important information and tools for tracking the spread of disease.
With the cutting up of these relationships, Canada is confronted with enormous ruptures. “As those are dismantled, we’re not going to have our early warning systems,” Dr. Charlebois warns, emphasizing the need for Canada to take proactive measures in its own surveillance efforts.
In addition, Dr. Michael Gardam, an infectious disease physician, has said that misinformation makes the work of public health all the more difficult. “People have stopped following what were highly effective control measures. Why have they stopped? Because people are telling them through social media not to follow them anymore,” he states. This kind of misinformation is dangerous – not only to the health of every individual and their loved ones, but to the health of the entire community.
Strengthening Surveillance Strategies
Fortunately, Canada has a number of tools available to enhance its infectious disease surveillance. Experts have long called for improved wastewater surveillance. This forward-looking approach can help notify public health officials of emerging threats before they become widespread and more dangerous. Beyond the call for AI, improved electronic medical records and more comprehensive surveillance for antimicrobial resistance would go a long way to strengthening Canada’s public health infrastructure.
Dr. Charlebois calls for a national vaccine registry to keep track of immunizations, stating, “We don’t have a national vaccine registry and we are not meeting our obligation to the World Health Organization on that.” Such initiatives could ensure that Canada is better prepared to manage infectious diseases and protect its population.
Dr. Pawa echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that although Canada cannot control everything occurring in the U.S., it can improve its own systems. “We can’t obviously control everything that happens in the U.S., but we can improve our own systems,” she asserts.
Collaboration Across Provinces and Territories
For Canada to get the most from strengthening its health surveillance, it will take provincial and territorial cooperation. They agree that universal and timely data sharing is essential to establishing a higher level of surveillance capacity throughout the country.
From the perspective of Dr. Hardcastle, strong long-term public health surveillance must be elevated for policymakers to consider as U.S. health policy rapidly shifts. “This should really light a fire under policymakers to take very seriously this question of public health surveillance,” he urges.
Dr. Gardam emphasizes the importance of partnerships, stating, “If they don’t have your back anymore, you have to create it yourself or you have to create new partnerships with other countries to do it.” These types of collaborative partnerships can help provide the support and resources necessary as Canada embarks on this important but challenging journey.
