Health surveillance, protection and promotion are effective and cost-beneficial strategies to keep people healthy. At a fraction of the cost of treating disease, public health services are extremely valuable mechanisms for the reduction of morbidity and mortality by preventive means. The chronic underfunding of these services remains despite the "wake-up calls"  of Walkerton, West Nile Virus and SARS, and the continuing inability of boards of health to deliver their basic mandated programs. Governments at all levels must make a much stronger commitment to ensure the timely availability of sustained and adequate resources (financial, human and supportive) for the optimal delivery of public health services in all communities.

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