Auditor General's Report 2008

Surveillance of Infectious Diseases

The Auditor General released a report in the House of Commons on May 6, 2008, and one of its chapters looks at infectious disease surveillance in Canada. The report acknowledges the complexity of disease surveillance, recognizes the positive steps the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has taken in improving surveillance in Canada, and highlights areas where more progress needs to be made.

The Auditor General’s report makes several recommendations that address the need to:

• set objectives and priorities for national surveillance activities;
• clarify roles and responsibilities for surveillance activities among jurisdictions;
• ensure surveillance information meets the needs and quality standards of its users; 
• improve surveillance information-sharing with federal, provincial and territorial partners; and
• strengthen information-sharing with international partners.

PHAC recognizes the importance of gathering and sharing surveillance information with national and international partners in a timely, complete, and accurate fashion.  PHAC officials have developed an action plan to address the report’s recommendations and further improve infectious disease surveillance in Canada.