SARS-Toronto: Fail-Proof Public Health System Key to Containing SARS

TORONTO, ON — May 1, 2003 — Speakers here at the international conference on SARS agreed today that containing severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) utterly depends on a fail-proof public health system.

TORONTO, ON — May 1, 2003 — Speakers here at the international conference on SARS agreed today that containing severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) utterly depends on a fail-proof public health system.During the 2-day conference held here, a series of recommendations were made as to specific steps countries must now take to ensure SARS is contained for good. Many of these recommendations were based not so much on new information but rather on issues that have been raised in the past — including the overwhelming importance of having a solid public health infrastructure in the face of a new contagion such as SARS.”We are working in an environment where our pubic health infrastructure is absolutely essential to our success [in containing outbreaks of infection], said Dr. Julie Gerberding, Director, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, “and if we don’t deal with the profound need to rehabilitate our public health system — from the very front lines in health care delivery through to the emergency rooms, infection control communities, local health departments, state and territorial offices and then on to the international level — we are going to have to struggle to contain problems like SARS.”From her own perspective, Dr. Gerberding emerged from the conference with “an even stronger resolve” to do everything she could to work on the CDC’s contribution to a global infectious disease surveillance and communications system that can respond to outbreaks “as fast as they happen.”The CDC and Health Canada also plan to develop a cohesive joint strategy to help contain SARS or similar outbreaks in the future. “Issues of travel at the level of the border are clearly very important for both [agencies],” Dr. Gerberding noted.But in addition, the scientific and public health communities in Canada and the United States are already extremely collegial — so much so that “it wouldn’t make sense for our countries to have separate or different approaches at a time when we are trying to be as fast and efficient as possible,” Dr. Gerberding said. Thus, plans are being laid to have the two countries work closely together toward a common goal.”Ultimately, we have to have a global strategy, and some plans are afoot at the World Health Organization (WHO) level to provide global leadership [in this manner] and to integrate all of these activities into a cohesive whole,” Dr. Gerberding said. “But we can start here and we can start now.”Dr. Paul Gully, Senior Director General, Population and Public Health Branch, Health Canada, agreed that the question of public health infrastructure is undoubtedly a critical issue and that it will be very important for all levels of government to address this issue.In the meantime, Dr. Gully spoke for many of the Canadian presenters at the conference when he said, “We did well. [SARS] is under control in Canada, and we hope we have assisted the rest of the world in getting it under control elsewhere. But yes, undoubtedly, [SARS] will lead to an in-depth examination of the public health infrastructure in this country.” (Source: Doctors Guide, 1 May 2003, By Pamela Harrison)