Chief Public Health Officer of Canada Dr. Theresa Tam. Photo: CPAC
Canada’s top doctor does not believe the country was ready to take on the pandemic.
Dr. Theresa Tam has released a new report, titled “A Vision to Transform Canada’s Public Health System.”
She says the healthcare system has been strained by the pandemic and workers are burnt out.
“Simply put we were not prepared to face a public health emergency of the magnitude of COVID-19,” Tam says. “There are increasingly urgent signs we need to act now.”
Tam adds although there remains uncertainty around the potential impact of the Omicron variant, any rapid rise in cases could cause further strain on the “fragile healthcare system.”
1/3 #COVID19 key concerns 🇨🇦 : there is still uncertainty regarding the potential impact of the #Omicron variant, but any rapid rise in cases could add additional strain to our still fragile healthcare system.
— Dr. Theresa Tam (@CPHO_Canada) December 13, 2021
Tam recommends recruiting more workers to prevent burnout and increasing diversity within the field to better reflect communities.
She says public health’s decision-making continues to be hampered by data collection delays across Canada.
Tam also warns cutting resources when the pandemic ends could undermine the system’s ability to respond to the next crisis.
