Thursday, March 28, 2024

Is public health an electoral issue?

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Maria Gill
Maria Gill
"Subtly charming problem solver. Extreme tv enthusiast. Web scholar. Evil beer expert. Music nerd. Food junkie."

Public Health has been so present two and a half years ago, with press briefings and instructions, that we forget how neglected and starved it was before the pandemic.

Our concern for hospitals, emergencies and health care in general makes us forget above all that prevention – which includes the so-called “public health” makes it possible to avoid the proliferation of diseases. It even saves money: reason enough to make it an electoral issue?

Isabelle Bourgogne talks about it with:

This public health, which has been very visible for more than two years (we can think of barrier gestures and recommendations to wash your hands or wear a mask), has not received such political attention for very long. Has public health really become an election issue or is it a victim of COVID?

Public health is prevention, early recognition and awareness, but also the promotion of physical and mental health. What has the epidemic changed in public and political perception?

In Canada, investments in public health account for about 2% of health budgets. In Quebec, about 3%. Historically, public health has suffered from a real lack of attention and financial support. The total expenditures for the Ministry of Health in Quebec still represent a colossal amount. Isn’t that just 2% for prevention part of the problem? Reaching at least 5% of expenses, is that reasonable?

“We have to reverse this trend. Having fewer patients to treat, rather than making more patients with contemporary chronic diseases, and trying to prevent it from happening.” – Thomas Bastian

What should be changed in political administration? A problem of governance or lack of independence?

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Public health aims to prevent but also to promote equality and combat inequality and exclusion. Did we miss the boat?

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I vote for science Broadcast on Mondays at 1 p.m. on the five regional stations of VM راديو Radio. Managed by Isabelle Bourgogne. Look for this offer: Isabelle Bourgogne. You can also listen to us, among others, on CIBO (Senneterre), CFOU (Trois-Rivières), and CHOM (Toronto).

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