Public Health Renewal

Position

Recent public health crises, chief among them the Walkerton e. coli outbreak and that of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), have prompted several detailed analyses of Ontario's public health system. These analyses revealed significant deterioration and gaps throughout, including underfunding, political interference, human resource shortages and inefficiencies in communication. These and other deficiencies have been itemized in great detail in the Report of the Walkerton Inquiry, and the the reports of the Ontario Expert Panel on SARS and Infectious Diseases (Walker), the National Advisory Committee on SARS and Public Health (Naylor), and the SARS Commission Interim Report (Campbell). Each of these makes critical recommendations that must be implemented as quickly and as practically as possible in order to restore Ontario's essential health promotion and protection functions. Their implementation must be carried out with the co-operation of all levels of government and full and open consultation with public health service providers.

Please click here to visit the home page of the new Canadian Public Health Agency

Please click here to read the Ontario Government's Operation Health Protection

Active Resolutions

#A05-10, SARS Commission
#A04-3, National Advisory Committee on SARS and Public Health

Resolutions	Recent Developments
#A05-10, SARS Commission	December 15, 2005 alPHa has sent a letter to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care introducing the Resolutions passed at the 2005 Annual General Meeting for follow-up and action by his Ministry. Please click here to view the letter.
#A04-3, National Advisory Committee on SARS and Public Health	July 21, 2004 Letter sent to Federal Minister of Health Ujjal Dosanjh and Minister of State (Public Health) Carolyn Benett introducing Resolution #A04-3 for their attention. Please click here to read. July 18, 2004 alPHa received a letter from Dr. Carolyn Bennett, Minister of State (Public Health) thanking us for our input into this spring's stakeholder roundtables. It gives a brief synopsis of progress made so far in the planning of the new agency.  Please click here to read.

 CLOSED RESOLUTIONS

#A04-2, Ontario Expert Panel on SARS and Infectious Diseases

Resolution

Developments

#A04-2, Ontario Expert Panel on SARS and Infectious Diseases alPHa urges the Government of Ontario to strike an Expert Advisory Group, including representation from alPHa and its Council of Medical Officers of Health, to oversee and guide the implementation of these recommendations; AND FURTHER alPHa urges the Government of Ontario to direct the Minister ofHealth and Long-Term Care to report to the legislature at least annually on the progress of the implementation

February 1 2007 Resolution closed by the alPHa Board of Directors. December 11 alPHa Advocacy Committee recommends closure of Resolution A04-2 as the establishment of the Capacity Review Committee, the Agency Implementation Task Force, and the Mandatory Program Review and Renewal process would appear to satisfy the operative clause September 10, 2004 Response received from the Ministry to the letter described below. Please click here to read. The response to A04-2 is on page 2 July 21, 2004 Letter sent to Minister of Health George Smitherman, copied to CMOH Sheela Basrur and Premier Dalton McGuinty introducing Resolutions # A04-2 and others for their attention. Please click here to read.