EDMONTON — Alberta has now recorded 710 confirmed measles cases, making this the worst year for measles since 1986, with no signs of slowing down. 75 percent of these cases have been in children under 18 years old.
It has been almost a month since the Health Minister and the interim Chief Medical Officer of Health stood together and held a press conference to update Albertans on the government’s planned response to a growing number of measles cases. No further press conference or announcement of a more robust measles strategy have followed, even as cases continue to sore.
“Kids in this province are now suffering from a disease we had all but eradicated thanks to public health measures. We continue to ask, where is the interim Chief Medical Officer of Health? Where is the Minister? Where is the leadership? Why aren’t Albertans hearing from their government or public health officials?” said Chris Gallaway executive director of Friends of Medicare. “It’s clear the previously announced response plan has not been enough to stop the spread of measles in Alberta. We need to see urgent action.”
This is happening after the recent passing of Bill 55, which gives the government more direct control over public health services — something Friends of Medicare and many public health leaders have sounded the alarm over. Former public health officials are now flagging that “public health services in Alberta are increasingly sidelined and alarmingly diminished,” as result of the government’s ongoing restructuring of our health care system.
“Albertans deserve a Chief Medical Officer of Health and a public health service that are arms-length and rooted in evidence-based decision, and we need to be assured that they aren’t being impeded in doing their important work or from sharing the best information with the public,” said Gallaway. “But instead, we’ve seen a revolving door in the Chief Medical Officer of Health’s office, and increasing control over public health in the hands of a government that seems more interested in spending public resources pandering to anti-vaccination rhetoric than in actually fulfilling their responsibility to keep Albertans safe.”
Measles is a highly contagious and potentially deadly disease, but also entirely preventable through immunization. Albertans are encouraged to call the HealthLink measles hotline at 1-844-944-3434 to book an immunization appointment, or to get information about measles or their immunization status.
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