Vaccine Preventable Disease

Position:

Safe and effective vaccines are the most cost-effective interventions to decrease preventable mortality and morbidity.  

The Government of Ontario must fund all vaccines licensed in Canada within 12 months of such licensure and make all vaccines licensed in Canada available through Boards of Health for administration to the categories of individuals as recommended by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization.  

The MOHLTC must amend O. Reg 566 to require all Boards of Health staff to receive annual influenza vaccine.  

Furthermore, all health care workers and other service providers in facilities and community settings, who, through their activities, are potentially capable of transmitting influenza, must be immunized.

Please read the alPHa / COMOH Position Paper on childhood immunizations.

Active Resolutions:

#A07-7, Public Funding for Human Papillomavirus Vaccine
#A07-5, Amendments to the Immunization of School Pupils Act
#A05-2, Mandatory Influenza Immunization for Health Care Workers
#A01-3, Vaccine Availability

Resolutions	Recent Developments
#A07-7, Public Funding for Human Papillomavirus Vaccine  THAT the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa) requests the Government of Ontario to include HPV vaccine as a publicly funded immunization for females between the ages of nine and 26 years	February 7, 2008 alPHa’s Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health to discuss a position on the expansion of the HPV programme.  August 3, 2007 The provincial government has announced a publicly-funded programme for voluntary immunization of grade 8 girls against the human Papillomavirus, a known cause of genital warts and cervical cancer. Please click here for details of the programme. Please click here for alPHa's press release October 31, 2007 Letter written to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care introducing this and several other resolutions passed at the 2007 alPHa AGM. Please click here to read.
#A07-5, Amendments to the Immunization of School Pupils Act  THAT the Association of Local Public Health Agencies request that the Minister be requested to amend Regulation 645 of the ISPA to include Pertussis as a designated disease.	December 4, 2007 Reply received from the Director of the Infectious Diseases Branch of the MOHLTC, which summarizes difficulties in implementing the requested amendment. Please click here to read. October 31, 2007 Letter written to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care introducing this and several other resolutions passed at the 2007 alPHa AGM. Please click here to read.
#A05-2, Mandatory Influenza Immunization for Health Care Workers NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that alPHa urge the Minister of Health and Long-term Care in consultation with the CMOH and PIDAC to introduce legislation to require mandatory annual vaccination against influenza for all health care workers and other service providers in facilities and community settings, who, through their activities, are potentially capable of transmitting influenza to those at high risk for influenza complications, with allowances for exemptions based on the most current research on contraindications and precautions as reported from time to time by the NACI.	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.
# A01-3, Vaccine Availability  NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa) petition the Provincial Government to: 1) fund all vaccines licensed in Canada within 12 months of such licensure and 2) make all vaccines licensed in Canada available through Boards of Health for administration to thecategories of individuals as recommended by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization.	March 22, 2004 The following is an excerpt from the health chapter of the Federal Budget, 2004: $300 million for a national immunization strategy that would support the introduction of new and recommended childhood and adolescent vaccines (as proposed by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization). The SARS outbreak reminded Canadians about the importance of immunization to Canada’s public health system. This unexpected event suggested that the Government of Canada needs to do more in this key public health area. This new funding will build on the $45 million provided in the 2003 budget to improve the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, enhance coordination and efficiency of immunization procurement, and ensure better information on immunization coverage rates within Canada.

Closed Resolutions
#A02-7, Influenza Immunization and Reporting

Resolution

Developments

#A02-7, Influenza Immunization and Reporting  NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa)request that the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care amend: 1. Regulation 566 (Qualifications of Boards of Health Staff) under the Health Protection and Promotion Act to require that all employees of Boards of Health be required to be immunized annually against influenza unless contraindicated and 2. the Mandatory Health Programs and Services Guidelines to require Boards of Health to report to the Minister of Health on the influenza immunization status of employees annually.

December 11 2006 alPHa Advocacy Committee recommends closure of Resolution A02-7, as it specifically calls for amendments to O. Reg 566 (Qualifications of Board of Health Staff) to require mandatory influenza vaccination for all BOH employees. The argument is supported by citing the Ambulance Act, which at the time made influenza vaccines mandatory for paramedics. They filed a Charter challenge, arguing that other HCWs were not similarly obligated. The challenge was withdrawn after the province repealed that section of the Act. alPHa’s more recent resolution on the subject (A05-2) makes a stronger case for the mandatory immunization of all HCWs and service providers in HC facilities and community settings (e.g. health units), subject to an examination of their risk of transmitting the disease to others at high risk of complications from the disease. Feb. 7, 2003  Received response from Geoff Kettel at the PHB indicating that annual reporting of immunization status of public health personnel could be considered under a revised MHPSG, but pointed out that mandatory immunization of paramedics had been removed from the Ambulance Act after a challenge.

Other Information:

January 18, 2005
alPHa Resolutions calling for publicly-funded routine childhood immunization against meningitis, varicella and pneumococcal diseases (A02-8) and for hepatitis A vaccinations for high risk groups (A00-6) closed. The Ontario government now provides for these programs. Please see the "closed resolutions" link on your left to read the developments that led to their closure.

June 9, 2004
Minister of Health and Long Term Care George Smitherman unveils details of the phase-in of full public funding for childhood meningitis, pneumococcal and varicella vaccines. The program will be fully implemented by January of 2005.
Please click here to view the press release and implementation schedule.

May 18, 2004
Ontario Liberals announce funding of $156M over three years to include meningitis, pneumococcal and varicella vaccines in the publicly funded program of childhood immunizations. Read alPHa's press release on the subject here.

April 6, 2004
Letter written by alPHa to Health Minister George Smitherman to congratulate him for indicating in a news report that an announcement is forthcoming to include meningitis vaccine in the publicly funded routine schedule of childhood immunizations. Click here to read the letter.

March 30, 2004
Minister Smitherman indicated at a press conference that the government will begin funding meningitis vaccinations within the next year, with the official announcement likely to occur in the upcoming provincial budget. Click here for the report from the Toronto Star.