Ontario Top Doctor Urges National Immunization System Overhaul
Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kieran Moore, is pushing for a national immunization schedule and registry to combat gaps highlighted by the recent measles resurgence. In his annual report, Dr. Moore emphasized the need for a unified effort across all levels of government and healthcare to tackle rising vaccine hesitancy.
Despite each province having its own immunization system, calls for a nationwide registry have persisted for over two decades. Dr. Moore pointed out that Ontario lags behind other provinces like British Columbia and Quebec in modernizing vaccine records, leading to confusion for parents and health officials.
This disjointed approach not only hampers outbreak response but also affects monitoring vaccine effectiveness and safety, especially amidst a surge in parental skepticism towards routine immunizations.
Dr. Vinita Dubey, Toronto’s Associate Medical Officer, highlighted the outdated process of manually tracking immunization records and the need for an integrated system to streamline data sharing across health authorities.
Efforts are underway at the federal level to harmonize existing immunization registries and enhance vaccine coverage surveillance. Five provinces and one territory have already submitted vaccine records to the Public Health Agency of Canada, with Ontario working towards consolidating its fragmented data systems.
Dr. Moore stressed the economic benefits of a national vaccine schedule, including cost savings through centralized procurement and reducing duplicate shots and hospitalizations. His report underscores the urgency of modernizing vaccine systems to protect against preventable diseases and ensure public health readiness.
Keyphrase: National Immunization Schedule