Canada -Developing a National Infectious Disease Strategy

[sharon sanders]

DEVELOPING A NATIONAL INFECTIOUS DISEASE STRATEGY
A National Infectious Disease Strategy will ensure an enduring national commitment and
application of resources to reduce the impact of infectious diseases on Canadians? good health,
our healthcare system and our national social and economic interests. It will establish goals and
objectives and require accountability through annual status reports.
Our National Infectious Disease Partners recommend leadership by the Government of Canada
and the cooperation of all Canadians on four main areas:
1. Controlling Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI)
? Set national infection control standards for hospitals and healthcare institutions
? Reduce hospital wait times and costs of hospital care
? Lessen health, social and economic impact on patients, families and employers
2. Preventing Community-Associated Infections (CAI)
? Enhance public health measures in workplaces, schools and community buildings to
prevent spread of disease
? Boost nation wide vaccine coverage ? such as the annual ?flu shot?
? Expand the Canadian Pandemic Influenza Plan (?the Plan?) beyond the health sector to
include detailed preventative and treatment strategies for pre-defined priority groups not
limited to healthcare workers
? Improve communication with Canadian corporations about the importance of corporate
pandemic preparedness to enable business continuity and economic viability during a
major outbreak
? Strengthen First Nations? capacity to respond to infectious diseases on or off reserves
? Address social determinants that give rise to the disparate burden of infectious diseases
such as poor housing, addiction, chronic disease, illiteracy, etc.
? Increase surveillance of zoonotic, food borne and other diseases that originate in other
parts of the world
3. Enhancing Canada?s research on infectious diseases
? Promote the development of alternative therapies to respond to antibiotic resistance
? Focus on links between infections and chronic diseases
? Encourage public/private partnerships in vaccine development
? Support collaborative research with government funding policy
? Develop infrastructure to steward Canadian infectious disease scientists? research discoveries​

(human resources and communication strategies)


4.

Building Canada?s capacity to identify, diagnose, prevent, control and treat known, new,

emerging and reemerging infectious diseases with:

? A National Surveillance System
? An Inventory of experts and expert information
? National standardized, evidence based practice guideline development
? A Human Resources Plan to meet skills shortages
? Surge Capacity for Infectious Diseases Emergencies (i.e. SARS)
An effective National Infectious Diseases Strategy will also recognize federal, provincial, territorial,
regional and local roles in managing service delivery and:
? Bridge the gap between public health and physicians in clinical practice
? Clarify roles, promote communication and collaboration among all levels of government
Ongoing oversight by the infectious disease sector and the larger community affected by infectious
diseases will be needed to ensure infectious diseases are given appropriate public and political​

attention to ensure funding and resources are sustained.

http://www.nidd.ca/pdf/positionPaper.pdf



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