Dire need for medical officers of health. medicale canadienne

摘要

Public health issues have surged to the forefront in recent years, what with the tainted water tragedy in Walkerton, Ont., the SARS outbreak and, now, almost daily reports of the global threat of a flu pandemic. Along with the emerging health threats is a growing awareness that Canada's public health system remains understaffed for handling such challenges. "There are shortages [of community medicine specialists] right across the country," says Dr. Gerry Predy, Edmonton's Medical Officer of Health (MOH) and president of the National Specialty Society for Community Medicine (NSSCM).