Ottawa – The World Health Day is an opportunity for people to raise awareness about health issues and to step up efforts to strengthen public health in Canada and worldwide. Established by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1950.
This year’s theme, “My health, my right,” focuses on the importance for everyone to have equal access to available and affordable health services regardless where they live. It highlights our right to make decisions about our own health and to be treated respectfully and without any discrimination.
Canada is working closely alongside other countries and global health partners to address health challenges of our time. Through the International Health Grants Program, Canada has been supporting international partners on projects and initiatives to advance health equity and shared priorities such as Indigenous and circumpolar public health, strengthening our public health systems, reducing climate change and environmental impacts on health, and preventing non-communicable and infectious diseases.
At home, the federal government is investing close to $200 billion over ten years as part of the Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians Plan, which provides funding to provinces and territories to advance work on key shared priorities: access to family health services, a stronger health workforce, access to mental health and substance use services, modernizing the health care system and helping Canadians age with dignity.
We are also committed to working with Indigenous communities and organizations, provincial and territorial governments, health systems partners, and educational institutions, to develop solutions to address anti-Indigenous racism in Canada’s health systems and to reduce health inequities by ensuring quality, accessible and safe health services for all Indigenous Peoples. Health Canada’s Addressing Racism and Discrimination in Canada’s Health Care Systems Program is supporting 27 projects to address current and emerging priorities in a way that is informed by the lived experiences of Indigenous Peoples. This initiative is in alignment with broader federal efforts to prevent racism and address gender-based violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA People, including the implementation of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls’ Calls for Justice.
We have introduced legislation that lays a path forward towards the first phase of national universal pharmacare in Canada. By ensuring universal access to contraception and diabetes medication, we will improve equity, affordability and health outcomes while allowing people to make their own choices for their future. We have also launched the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP), a significant milestone for the health and well-being of people in Canada. Once fully implemented, the CDCP will help make oral health care more affordable for up to nine million Canadian residents who did not previously have access to dental insurance.
Given the benefits that physical activity have on preventing chronic diseases and improving overall physical and mental health, we recognize the importance of supporting Canadians to be more active. The Healthy Canadians and Communities Fund (HCCF) supports projects that address unhealthy eating, smoking, and physical inactivity to help everyone lower their risk of chronic disease. Specifically, the projects funded by the HCCF address health inequalities, encourage multi-sectoral participation in chronic disease prevention and uncover new ways to address the risk factors for chronic disease. Encouraging Canadians to limit sedentary activity and participate in activities like community sport or regular walks outdoors, helps not only to promote an active lifestyle that benefits physical wellbeing, but mental wellbeing as well.
Further, recognizing that suicide is a serious public health issue that impacts people of all ages and backgrounds, we have introduced the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: a free, national three-digit number for suicide prevention and emotional distress. It is essential that everyone in Canada has access to mental health resources when they need them, regardless of their culture, social or economic status. That’s why we have recently announced an expansion of distress and crisis line services across Canada which better supports racialized community members.
It is also important to acknowledge the impacts of climate change on our health and the increased demands it has placed on the health system; as well as other environmental determinants of health, such as clean air, safe drinking water, nutritious food and secure shelter. As we have seen through events such as wildfires, floods, and extreme heat waves, climate change is having a significant impact on our physical and mental health. Canada’s first National Adaptation Strategy focuses on managing the risks and impacts that climate change has on the health, well-being, and livelihoods of people in Canada.
We believe that people living in Canada should have access to health services in the official language of their choice. Through the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028, the Government of Canada is helping to improve access to health services for French-and English-speaking minority communities. We provide funding to support partnerships and innovative projects by non-profit organizations and provinces and territories, as well as funding to postsecondary institutions to support the training and integration of bilingual health professionals to serve communities in the official language of their choice.
Moreover, we are truly grateful for the hard work and dedication of researchers in Canada.
Health Research is vital for addressing health challenges, improving health policies, and strengthening Canada healthcare system. Through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), we’re investing $1 billion every year to support 16,000 researchers from across the country; this includes biomedical research focused on understanding how the human body works—right down to our cells; clinical research to find new ways of preventing, diagnosing, and treating disease and illness; health services research to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Canada’s health care systems; and research into the social, cultural, economic, and environmental factors that impact our health.
Lastly, we want to note that Canada’s commitment to implementing Gender-Based Analysis Plus in decision-making processes enables responsive and inclusive research, policies, services and programs to promote greater equity, diversity and inclusion.
All of these Canada-led initiatives resonate deeply with the theme of this year’s World Health Day. As we continue with our transformation of our healthcare system, will continue to shed light on the importance of equal access to public health and the priority areas that are driving many of our efforts and actions.- Mark Holland, Ya’ara Saks, Carla Qualtrough