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:
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.