A Tale of Toronto: National and International Lessons in Public Health Governance from the Sars Crisis
14 Pages Posted: 6 Jul 2008
Date Written: October 28, 2003
Abstract
In this paper, we provide a brief forensic of the SARS crisis in Toronto and analyze the effectiveness of Canada's health care system in response to that crisis. We conclude that it is difficult to draw concrete conclusions about the cause and effect of the SARS epidemic. Nevertheless, there is an obvious governance problem in Canada's system, largely centering on the fragmentation of fiscal and political accountability through multiple levels of government, which needs remedy. We then look at international public health governance and question whether the World Health Organization's issuance of travel advisories will encourage greater transparency in reporting and responding to instances of contagious diseases.
Keywords: SARS, Toronto, health care, healthcare
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