How Canada could boost disease surveillance to make up for U.S. health cuts
Canada must take urgent steps to strengthen its health surveillance systems in light of recent cuts to key U.S. health institutions that threaten access to crucial monitoring data, according to experts who published an editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) this week.
The editorial highlights the impact of cuts within the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the National Institutes of Health, and the federal Department of Health and Human Services on Canada and other countries, potentially depriving them of valuable health information. Dr. Shannon Charlebois, a family physician and co-author of the editorial, emphasized the longstanding relationship between Canada and U.S. health organizations, warning that dismantling these connections could leave Canada without essential early warning systems.
The authors point to a growing crisis of communicable diseases in North America, citing rising rates of syphilis, HIV, measles outbreaks, and avian influenza-related livestock culls in Canada. Dr. Jasmine Pawa, a public health and preventive medicine physician at the University of Toronto, stressed the need for Canada to enhance its own surveillance capabilities in response to these challenges.
The recent cuts in the U.S. health institutions should serve as a wake-up call for Canada to prioritize public health surveillance, according to Dr. Lorian Hardcastle, an expert in health law and policy. She highlighted the ripple effect of U.S. actions on global health surveillance and stressed the importance of Canada stepping up its efforts.
In addition to formal notifications from U.S. health organizations, Charlebois emphasized the value of informal links between the two countries for collaborative planning. However, with layoffs and budget cuts, these informal channels may no longer be reliable, underscoring the need for Canada to strengthen its own surveillance systems.
A major obstacle to improving surveillance in Canada is the lack of timely, uniform data sharing among provinces and territories, according to Hardcastle. She called for political will to drive collaboration and suggested implementing tools like electronic medical records and wastewater surveillance for antimicrobial resistance.
Charlebois advocated for a national vaccine registry to track immunizations and identify vulnerable populations. She noted that Canada currently falls short of its obligations to the World Health Organization in this regard and urged action to address this gap.
The editorial also highlighted the challenge of misinformation, which can undermine public health efforts. Dr. Michael Gardam, an infectious disease physician, warned of the impact of misinformation on disease control measures and emphasized the need for Canada to fill the void left by U.S. health institution changes.
As Canada navigates the implications of U.S. health cuts, building up its surveillance capabilities will be essential. Creating new partnerships with other countries and investing in robust surveillance systems will be crucial in safeguarding public health and responding effectively to future health threats.
