Open letter to health minister says Sask. not ready for Zika virus-related outbreaks
Medical geneticist Edmon Lemire says there is no congenital anomalies surveillance system
An open letter to the Saskatchewan Health Minister says that the province would not be prepared for a Zika virus-type outbreak.
The letter to Health Minister Dustin Duncan was written by Edmond Lemire, medical geneticist and retired professor of pediatrics at the University of Saskatchewan.
"Before we can actually start studying these things and determining if there is something we can do about it we need to have good baseline data. That data is not very good," Lemire said, pointing to information surrounding congenital anomalies or birth defects in the province.
The World Health Organization has declared the mosquito-borne Zika virus outbreak in the Americas a public health emergency. The Zika virus is believed to have a connection to microcephaly, a rare neurological birth defect characterized by an abnormally small head that can lead to developmental issues or even death.
Although the mosquito that transmits the virus is not present in Canada, there have been three confirmed cases in Quebec.
- Zika virus outbreak an emergency, World Health Organization says
- Third Zika virus case confirmed in Quebec
In the letter, Lemire said the Zika virus highlights the importance of keeping track of birth defects in public health.
"Currently, there is no congenital anomalies surveillance system in Saskatchewan," Lemire said in the letter. "The manner in which data is collected in this province prevents a quick response to any sudden changes in the rate of birth defects until in the midst of an epidemic."
He said if there was a system, experts could have an accurate baseline on the prevalence of birth defects, track trends to create prevention strategies and service planning, investigate changes to see if there are environmental causes to birth defects, and provide information to health care professionals.
We really don't know what is happening.- Edmond Lemire, medical geneticist
Lemire is the former head of the Division of Medical Genetics at the Saskatoon Health Region.
He said during that time there was a pilot project for congenital anomalies surveillance in the health region, funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada. The goal was to expand the project across the province.
"The Population Health Branch in the Ministry of Health did not consider congenital anomalies surveillance to be a priority and the pilot was terminated," Lemire said in the letter.
Lemire added that the Ministry of Health also declined further funding from PHAC.
Currently the information on birth defects in Saskatchewan comes from the Canadian Institute For Health Information and neighbouring provinces, Lemire said.
"We really don't know what is happening," he said.
Sask. part of Canadian surveillance system, chief medical health officer says
Saskatchewan participates in the national Canadian congenital anomalies surveillance system, chief medical health officer with the Ministry of Health Saqib Shahab says.
Shahab said that he has read the letter, but the province has been involved in a national system since 1973.
"What we don't have is an enhanced Congenital anomalies surveillance system. Some provinces do have that — Alberta, B.C., Ontario — but several provinces, including Saskatchewan, do not have that enhanced system," Shahab said.
"While it was a good initiative, unfortunately, when it was evaluated it wasn't considered to be sustainable and there were some issues with our legislative authority to collect that information at provincial level," he said. "So it could not be replicated at a provincial level."
Shahab also wanted to remind people that the mosquito which spreads the Zika virus is not found in Canada. But travellers should be aware of all diseases and health issues before entering country, especially when pregnant.